Duck Theathon

"I'm gonna git that thcwewy duck!"

Thus swore the Backward Birder in his best Elmer Fudd, before tooling up and heading back to the Exe....

Ahem.

So, this time I had a rucksack with folding stool, lunch, coffee, assorted bits and pieces of warm/waterproof clothing, camera [!] and so on. I was determined. I was prepared. I was ready to be there 'til dark if I had to in order to nail that pesky yank.

Naturally I picked it up inside 5 minutes.

No complaints. :)

I had a good look, cackled to myself [fortunately I was alone at the time..] and claiming to be being a good birder, I set about counting a few things - Brents, Wigeon, Barwits, and Knot [getting 108, 950, 27, and 30 respectively] I then poured a cup of coffee and went back to the yank - only to see it immediately take off and fly... dropping with smug inevitability into Shutterton Creek. About 10 minutes later, the first birders arrived....

To make matters worse, not long afterwards a nice couple and their loose bull terrier came strolling by and soon enough everything flushed - the waders and Brents made off upriver and the Wigeon all dropped down into the Creek. Oh well, we've read this story before, haven't we? In the mean time, the Slavonian Grebe showed well, coming nice and close and now most of the way into winter plumage. A Med Gull [adult] was in among the Black-'eads, too, but only one birder decided to stay on and wait. Other semi-notables included a smart Common Gull, 6 R-B Mergansers, and the desmarestii-type Shag* again.

Eventually the Wigeon tired of cowering in the Creek and began to reappear, some flying out to where they'd been before, but most just climbing up the banks. Finally, an hour and a quarter after it had gone, I picked the American Wigeon up again, pretty much exactly where it had been before. At least 4 others got on it, with the bird eventually coming to the front of the group and showing well [if a bit distantly]. I spent the next 45 minutes watching it and munching a little celebratory chocolate, then headed back. Result.

[[*This is not an entirely serious identification, I should hasten to add, as 1st year Shags with pale bills and tons of white on are not exactly uncommon around here - you see them every year.]]