On Monday news broke that a BRIDLED TERN had turned up on the Farnes Islands. It soon disappeared but came back to roost again on Monday evening.
I was able to finish work early on Tuesday, and so we headed off as soon as I got changed. Half way there it started to rain, and by the time we arrived on site it was pouring down. Mid Wales on a wet afternoon isn't the place to be! You see, with all the news and mayhem associated with the BRIDLED TERN, almost unnoticed was a drake SURF SCOTER inland at Lake Vyrnwy, Powys, less than two hours away from home. An inland SURF SCOTER is always something I've wanted to see; preferably in Staffordshire, but I'll have to wait until I find one at Westport.
We arrived at Lake Vyrnwy and it was slashing down. News had been scant all day, but it was still present at 13:30hrs. We headed along the north shore to an area half a mile west of the Water Tower, but the shoreline was heavily wooded and there was nowhere to stop. We decided to head over the dam and drive along the south shore. We soon found a parking area, again as per directions (1/2 mile west of tower). I walked down to the shoreline, lifted my bins at the only duck in sight and it was a magnificent drake Surf Scoter. Amazingly, it was the only duck we saw all afternoon. Imagine the finder. He turns up and sees a duck. Maybe his first duck of the week. What will it be? A Mallard, maybe a Tufted. He lifts his bins and its a Surfie!
It soon stopped raining and I tried to take photo's with my increasingly frustratingly naff camera. We then realised that as it was damp, warm and by water, we had become surrounded by a cloud of midges. We were bit everywhere and soon had to return to the car.
Drake Surf Scoter at Lake Vyrnwy (don't blame me, blame the camera)
Back to the Bridled Tern. Fortunately, a vast majority of the Clayheads were around way back in 1988 to see the Cemlyn Bay BRIDLED TERN. A bird we were very fond of as it turned into a damned fine blocker for 25years. While we relaxed, the Clayhead B team was assembled and headed off to the Farnes on Wednesday. Eventually, following many hours of waiting, the Bridled Tern reappeared for them, and the team of Chris, Karl, Phill L and Mr Turtle were all extremely happy. Chris managed to take this photo below with his hand made camera made out of a cereal packet and some cling film. Well done Chris.
