Jim offered to visit KGV reservoir today with me so I couldn't turn down the opportunity. We arrived to find just two other birders present and they were on the way out so we had the place to ourselves. First good bird was the juvenile Great-northern Diver which for a change was at the south end of the south basin. We scanned for the Red-necked Grebe with no joy finding just the usual range of ducks along with a couple of Great-crested and a couple of Little Grebes. Walking on towards the causeway we found another seven Little Grebes and another Great-crested Grebe before Jimmy managed to pick out the Red-necked Grebe at the far side of the reservoir. Three Goosander gave me another year tick before we picked out a drake Scaup for another tick. Whilst watching a mixed Thrush flock on the far bank a Grey Wagtail was heard which we later saw on the walk back for my fourth tick of the morning. North Basin also had a strange hybrid duck amongst the many Tufted and Pochard. I would think the bird is a hybrid of these two species.
Back home and Dad had a job to do in Wanstead so we hopped in with him after arranging a short diversion to see if the Eagle pond Caspian Gull was showing and on arrival it was very easily picked out among the other gulls. We've been lucky enough to enjoy this bird each winter since first connecting with it back in 2017 and I should say a big thank you to the local guys that spot it each year and put the news out.
Year list now 103
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| Caspian Gull |
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| Eagle Pond Caspian Gull |
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| Caspo |
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| Caspo |
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| Great-northern Diver |
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| Scaup |
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| Hybrid Pochard/Tufted Duck |
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