America Wigeon, Exminster Marsh, Devon

Showing well....earlier in the day. Actually it was showing well through a scope but too distant for anything other than a poor record shot through my 400mm lens.

It's the one bang in the middle, front

Cropped but a little easier to see...

Lovely bird though and well worth another look if it hangs around a bit longer.

Blashford Lakes Bittern

My work took me out of area today (perhaps I should call this Four Counties Wildlife?) so took advantage and dropped in to Blashford Lakes in Hampshire to see if the Bittern was showing. It took a while but eventually appeared...

Lovely bird, plenty of ducks around too:

Drake Gadwall

..and his partner

Loads of Pochard, including this obliging duck

Close by (although distant) at Harbridge...

One of six Bewick's Swans

The whooper

...and a few of the Greylags present

I'm almost ashamed to put this photo up but it's still a record shot of the drake Garganey on the river just south of the church at Shapwick in Dorset. The light was poor (drizzling too) and the birds were very nervous, which added up to a few grabbed shots before they sped off down river and out of sight. Could be an escape but there have been a few around and sightings of summer migrants already. That and its nervous behaviour make me think it could be a genuine bird - well worth seeing.

Iceland Gull, Axmouth - Saturday 18th February 2012

Found by the local team around Midday and still sitting there happily when I managed to get down there at 2pm. A very pale 2nd winter bird and a lovely sight.

So this is why they're called 'white-winged' gulls

More Yellow-browed photos

More pictures of the Pudleigh Yellow-browed on the dedicated page.

Yellow-browed Warbler and tristis Chiff Chaff at Pudleigh Sewage works

Yellow-browed warbler - found late on Saturday by Henry Squire

I also found this tristis type chiff chaff - good day for Chard!