I decided to head for Beacon Ponds with the prospect if nothing else of a record shot of the recently reported slavonian grebe-a bird I have yet to photograph.
I headed along the beach towards the hide and apart from a few fly by gulls, cormerants and oystercatchers I didn't see that much.
When I arrived at the hide I spooked some wigeon and then started to view what was on the lagoon.
The wind was howling making the water really rough.
There were a few wigeon, teal, pochard and a couple of distant goldeneye and little grebe.
From time to time the odd wader flew by as well as a few gulls but the gale force wind kept everything low.
After a while I saw a very distant slavonoan grebe and took some record shots that were next to useless.
The grebe kept disappearing from view until it appeared in the calm water directly opposite the hide. I thought I would try to get round the other side for a shot from the bank top.
Fortunately there were no other birders about along long bank and the grebe remained in about the same spot.
I crept to the top of the bank and there grebe was there about 50 yards out.
It kept coming closer then backing away feeding all the time on sticklebacks.
I stayed with it for a couple of hours until it started to swim further north along the edge of the bank.
There was a massive flock of brent geese with a few waders on the flooded field opposite the listening dish on the way back, but I didn't se a single bird down beacon lane.
In the end I was happy with these shots- just a shame the sun wasn't out.
