It was early evening as we trudged through the mud, coating the path like a blanket. We were at Slapton ley NNR and looking for some birds. Again, my piece of essential gear was my DMC – FZ330 camera.
As we strolled down the trail, conditions looked promising. There was plenty of coots on the ley and some more waterbirds screamed further along the path. We stopped at a jetty which gave a good view over the water. I managed to photograph some coots and at the same time spotting some great crested grebes further out on the ley. I got some good shots of the grebes and with the addition of two mute swans, I looked forward to what was next.
Trudging clumsily over the mud stricken steps, we headed for a viewing platform that gave a good vantage point over a group of ducks. I scanned the flocks with my viewfinder and noticed about 5 or 6 had strayed from the largest group. I zoomed to my camera’s full capacity and even though they were very distant, I managed to make out mainly grey plumage. My heart skipped a beat. A long awaited lifer was staring me in the face. Gadwall.
Dumbstruck, I flimsily fired a few record shots before them taking flight towards nearby Torcross. I started to focus on another grebe when I was alerted to a white speck ploughing its way through the flock. It wasn’t hard to find. I took in a doorknob shaped head, a glittering golden eye and a white back. It couldn’t be anything else. A male Goldeneye.
Amazed by its brilliant plumage, I couldn’t look away as I stared in disbelief. The only thing my body would allow me to do was fire the shutter and take a photograph. Annoyingly, this encounter wouldn’t last long as the bird skimmed the water and flew away undulating in the glistening sunset.
A Goldeneye is a scarce bird and you’re unlikely to see them. They’re pretty much a bird only to be found by chance and even then, they can only be found in winter. A very shocking bird [and lifer].
All in all a pretty good [and lucky] birding evening.
The Bovey Birder 