Chelmarsh - Great Northern Diver

Bird magnet John Reeves had yet another good Shropshire find with a juvenile Great Northern Diver turnng up at Chelmarsh reservoir. It was frustrating mixture of showing really well coupled with roaming the whole Res and as ever in very tricky light!

Virtually full frame at this moment! Stonking bill, head shape, half neck collar and dark waterline...

The only real 'activity' was a chance wingflap!

Showing a hint of a chinstrap, rather odd but all the other features clearly point to GND rather an unlikely Pacific! 

The only moment of a half decent approach in contrast laden sun...

My fourth for the County. Whilst checking back, it's 15 years since I've seen a Black-throated Diver in the County (also at Chelmarsh), we are long overdue  another one!! Make it one with a chinstrap please?

Chelmarsh res - Tundra Bean Geese x 6!!!

If anywhere is likely to turn up a mega in Shropshire, then Chelmarsh reservoir is a top venue but you have to put the hours in!! And then get lucky :-) Martyn Owen certainly puts the hours in and his just reward was getting lucky, finding these six Tundra Bean Geese who had latched onto a 100+ flock of Greylags plus a Barnacle (whatever the origin) as well......

I only had a short while to get there (plus John Reeves soon after) and luckily we got decent scope views up the right hand bank (some 400m away) as viewed from the causeway. So.... whilst digiscoping rules in these situations, here's the best I could do.... a record shot of all six and believe you me this took some time to get all six facing the right way and not in the midst of the flock!

I'm almost loath to post this shot but it does show all six again (three tightly together) flying off (miles away!!) with the Greylags a few minutes later!

An amazing record for the County, can't believe there has been a better count? Lets have a Taiga next,  a Smew or something even better :-)

Chelmarsh - Gannet!!!

Wow, was this a welcome sight! I've been back from the States a week now and apart from some awesome Dragonfly excitement, the birding has been rubbish to say the least! So, when Yvonne nearly didn't make a routine visit to Chelmarsh this evening, it was good news for anyone quick off the mark that she did! She picked up the Gannet from the causeway, it was sitting on the water at the Dam end and  I was there before you could say  yooooooooooooooooooubeauuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuty  :-)

A subadult bird coming into it's 4th Summer, it was reminiscent of the Arctic Skua for entertainment value with an occasional flight / plunge despite the relentless drizzle and gloom! We even saw it catch a sizeable fish! Is it the same one that Ian Grant picked up at Aqualate last Thursday??......

These are probably the best I'm going to be able to come up with.......

A full frame underwing shot.....

And the distant upperwing pattern.....

There's bird life yet then in Salop!! Stay tune with the blog (and look back) if you are interested in the remaining week's New England content as and when I get time to sort. Oh and the story of the Red-veined Darters gracing the County Odonata list (with evidence) at last!