A trip to Abberton

Following my father in laws funeral on 14th I had booked a week at Butlins as a half term treat for the little ones. We had a great time despite Suzanne having a flair up with back pain which kept her housebound the whole week and I arrived home to find my boiler had given up the ghost so had to organise for a replacement which should be fitted tomorrow all being well.

Roll on to this morning and I dropped my grandson to school and passing the A12 on the way home I decided to head up to Abberton to see if I could find the Ring-necked Duck having not seen one since 2023. I first checked Layer Breton which was extremely dull. A drive around to LDLH and I saw three Catte Egrets at the farm on the way round and a very large herd of Swans. At the Causeway I had two very confiding Slavonian Grebes perform at close range which had me reaching for the camera despite the overcast skies. I then found the flock of Black-necked Grebes in the distance and my best count was twelve but it was difficult as they were constantly diving. A pair of Red-crested Pochard added my first  year tick of the day and I saw ten plus Great Egrets and dozens of Goosander. 

I checked the vast flocks of Tufted Duck for the Ring-neck but didn't find it so eventually headed round to Billets farm where I did finally find the Ring-neck in a distant flock of Tufted Duck. There was a few Pochard but I didn't notice the Canvasback among them. A young Spoonbill sat on the bank on the far side from Billets and I picked out a Caspain Gull too.

year list now 148