Bittern

Went around the estuary yesterday on the rising tide from Geese Quarries to Charleton Marsh. Same old same old, several hundred Wigeons in North Pool Bay then flightling out onto the main estuary, always a great sight and sound especially on such a still day. A few Lapwings in North Pool Bay as well, the day before I saw around 45 in the fields around the top of North Pool Farm so probably some of them. I was hoping to see the Bittern in Charleton Marsh but nothing doing, you need a bit of luck for them. There were at least 12 Chiffchaffs in the sewage works, numbers always rise sharply here in the new year for some reason. By now it was raining so I could not grill them for a wintering Siberian Chiff. A Yellow-browed would not go amiss either.
Seeing the forecast for today ( which they got spot on ) and having a day off work I thought I would give Slapton Ley a go and try for last weeks possible Lesser Scaup. My plan was to get to the bridge for first light, often a good time to see an elusive Bittern if one is around  (but not this time ),do Ireland Bay and check the sea whilst it was still dry and shelter in the Stokely Bay Hide when it rained as the light could then be quite good. I went around Ireland Bay to the boardwalk and there were still good numbers of waterfowl, the best being 13 Wigeons, 8 Shovelers, 127 Tufted Ducks and 12 Little Grebes at one time in a little tight flock. Only 4 Gadwalls and 3 Teals though. Lots of gulls dropping in and out, well over 500 Black-headed and 4 Mediterraneans. Getting back to the bridge I looked up the higher Ley and bingo, a Bittern flew up and then straight back in, very lucky for me and definetly one of my favourite birds. I waited another 20 minutes but nothing doing. It was now threatening to rain so I checked Start Bay out from the Memorial Car Park. No scoters but 2 Great Northern Divers together close in. The rain was getting heavy now so I headed for the Stokeley Bay Hide. Selected counts from here included another 14 Wigeons, 128 Gadwalls, 83 Tufted Ducks, 8 Pochards ( very welcome increase, however small ) and 7 Goldeneyes including 3 males ( displaying in the rain ). I saw a Scaup but it was an adult male Greater Scaup and distant with Tufted Ducks. A couple possible female scaup sp eventually came close enough in better light to prove themselves to be nothing more than Tufted pseudo Scaups. I'm sure the first winter male and his companion are still around and will give themselves up on a nice still day with good light.