Heavy rain in the morning made way to sunshine by noon so went for a local walk to Doffcocker lodge. I want to see if there are any ruddy ducks or common terns around though I know that really I am still too early. Workmen are still working on the paths around the reserve too with heavy diggers so any bird with a wary disposition will not be found for miles around. As I arrive even the cormorants have had enough and the two juveniles that regularly visit to fish take off but do a very accommodating circle of the water and enable me for once to get some decent flight shots.

The heavy rain of the last few days has meant that water levels have risen considerably and the nest over which the great crested grebes had fought so aggressively a few weeks before is now under water. Saw a couple of pairs of grebes out on the water but saw no evidence of any new nest sites.

Another bird that doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to nest is the Mute swan. Every year these swans nest on the lodge but today they are still associating with their cygnets from last year and the usual nest site still lies abandoned. A few tufted duck are still hanging around and at times they can be quite tame. The duck in the photo below was curious to see if I had any food for me but sadly he was out of luck.

 

The mallards were in fine form today and the males looked beautiful as their emerald heads shone in the sunlight. Being spring the males seem to be getting overexcited as the photo below shows. There wasn’t a female in sight!

The lake is a real melting pot for ducks of many different mallard hybrids. Some are real regulars. The birds in the photo below always go around together. They both look the same so I imagine they must be some kind of domestic hybrid. I have no idea to their sex though looking at their colouring it looks like they are both male.