Cotswold Water Park sightings, 25 February 2006, M.J.McGill

25 February 2006 A visit to the Cotswold Water Park arriving at 0750 after an indecisive night due to forecasts of snow. Only a small amount of snow was on show on the Cotswold escarpment so it proved to be no problem. The wind was biting, blowing in from the east. Within ten minutes we were watching a flock of 16 Smew (5 adult males, 1 first winter male and the rest were all females). The males were displaying along with the first winter male, he was doing his best to get some practice in. Three pairs of Goosander were also present but no Red-crested Pochard. A flock of 26 Ruddy Duck, 8 Goldeneye and 100 Wigeon were on Pit 57. This Pit was very quiet. We moved to other western Gloucestershire pits and was surprised by the number of Gadwall (c100) and Wigeon (300) about. Both species were feeding alongside the Coot who were bringing the weed to the surface for them.

On checking a few more pits which were quiet due to the cold wind, building disturbance and choppy water we headed off to a couple of the Cotswold Water Park East. Another surprise came in the form of 178 Shoveler feeding together on Pit 114. A couple more Ruddy Duck were present with seven Goldeneye and two Little Grebe. Three Little Egret were in the riverside field at Fairford. Back to the CWP Western section to search through more duck finally produced Red-crested Pochard, we ended up seeing c40 in total.

Whilst searching through the diving duck I noticed a female Scaup and tried to get the others onto it by giving up my scope. They were unable to get on the bird straight away (-5 wind chill did not help). When I refound it, it was flank on and I was able to study it, I now thought it to be a female Lesser Scaup, it had the small bump or crest at the rear of the crown, no feathers hanging down, a blue concave bill with black nail, rounded forehead, the greyish feathering on the mantle and flanks were paler than that of any of the attendant female Tufted and more like female Pochard. The white frontal patch (feathering around the base of the bill was clearly defined and neater and more extensive than nearly all female Tufted I have ever seen). To great annoyance a low flying aircraft went over while I was setting up my Nikon Coolpix and flushed the whole lake. I did not scope the wing pattern as the diving duck went off between the wooded islands. The majority of the diving duck dispersed and my hunch is that they went towards Pits 10, 8, 74. I checked through the numerous diving duck on 10, 12, 16, 8 and 17 but there was no sign of it.
M.JMcGill.