Red Necked Grebe can be a difficult bird to get on the year list, but over the last couple of years Abberton has delivered. I saw one towards the end of last year but this year so far the resident bird has been a bit elusive, with just the occasional record from Abberton church. So this Saturday morning I dropped Mrs D off at her usual morning session at the library and went straight there.
I thought it was going to be hard particularly when I saw the wind roughing up the surface, but I scanned across and there it was, nonchalantly bobbing around like butter wouldn't melt in its beak. Difficult? Moi? It was mid-distance, but in the scope clear enough for me to think the vertical stripe on the face near the ears made it a bird hatched last year. Fantastic. Hadn't expected it to be that straightforward or such decent views.
And with that I did a quick couple of stops at the causeways before heading back. I saw Long-Tailed Duck, Scaup, Goosander, Smew, White Fronted Goose (now down to 16) Pink Footed Goose, Black Tailed Godwit, Ruff, Golden Plover. And I wasn't even trying. Most of these birds were ridiculously close.
I was asked, when chatting with a fellow birder in Kent on Monday (Excellent. Couldn't miss, again. Shorelark, Hen Harrier, Merlin, Glossy Ibis, Black Throated Diver, Greenshank) whether I went much to Amwell given it is in my area, and the answer is no. Its hard to explain but I think if I'm going to get in my car and go out of my immediate area, it is hard to resist the pull of Abberton. It's like having a three-star Michelin restaurant in the neighbouring town. Why would you go anywhere else?
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