Black-necked Grebe

Priory Country Park 13:32

First stop the alleged site of "one of the easiest to see Merlins ever". Well yet again it wasn't there, but just down the road on Gypsy Lane West Pit we at last found our Smew - three redheads. Next stop Priory Country Park, Bedford for the reported Black-necked Grebe and Ferruginous Duck.

We got ourselves to the hide, the only birder there said there'd been no sign of the Ferruginous Duck, but as you can see the Black-necked Grebe was relatively close. On scanning round Mrs RCB was convinced she'd found the Ferruginous Duck on the far side of the lake, but every time she passed me the scope all I could see were Pochards. Eventually though we decided to go round to the far side and Mrs RCB was proven correct. Check out Longshanks blip of a rather splendid Ferruginous Duck, posing rather splendidly.

Rather better than our last sighting where it took Photoshop's colour saturation for the final confirmation.