Shustoke Reservoir.

Highlight of the day today is straight forward being as I've never seen one before and they are normally only seen in Scotland, it was the Slavonian Grebe as seen in the top picture, I'd actually seen it earlier in the day and the only thing then for certain was that I couldn't identify it but then towards the end of the visit twitchers were coming from everywhere to see the 'Slavonian Grebe.' I consider myself to be a birder and not a twitcher because I like to see any bird when I'm out and not just the 'special' birds like some people you speak too. Anyway back to the Slavonian Grebe, it was great to see it going underwater for fish with which it was successful most times, it was just a pity it was in it's winter plumage because it looks even more stunning in it's breeding plumage. Unfortunately I didn't see the Red Breasted Merganser that I mentioned on my previous post but apparently it was only at Shustoke for one day only.

I also saw a flock of thirty odd Redwing flying over the fields, also notable by their presence in large numbers were fifty plus Little Grebe and Pied Wagtails all around the Reservoir, it's also been a while since I've seen any Pochard, so it was nice to see them make a welcome return. When we arrived at about 8:30, there was plenty activity in around the car park, with many Tits, Finches and Blackbirds flitting all over the place.

Birds seen today were, Kestrel, Buzzard, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Wren, Robin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Redwing, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Pied Wagtail, Pheasant (Cock), Mute Swan, Cormorant, Slavonian Grebe, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Pochard, Moorhen, Coot, Tufted Duck, Mallard and Canada Goose. 

For a change today we had a walk around the reservoir, then had a walk to the nearby village where 'The Plough Inn' is, which is a public house that's been there since the 1790's, then headed back and had another walk around the reservoir which must have been about a six mile walk.

As you can see by the above photo, my garden birds are not going to go hungry for the rest of Autumn and Winter, there are 5 20kg bags of premium wild bird seed there to go with the mealworms, sunflower hearts, suet blocks, suet pellets, peanuts, apples, sultanas and raisins etc.