Dawlish Warren Day Out

Thursday 29th October was grey, windy and mizzley but with a Bairds Sandpiper, Little Stint and Curlew Sandpiper being reported at Dawlish Warren and a need to get out for the day I decided to tog up in my wet weather gear and head out there for a look.

High tide wasn't until around 5pm so I had a late start, arriving at Dawlish Warren at around 11:30 and I started off by weaving through the half term crowds to the sea wall for a scan offshore.

Viewing was difficult in the murk and large swell but a Great Northern Diver, a Red-throated Diver and a Great Crested Grebe were found close together close off the sea wall before all going their separate ways. The Red-throated Diver was very mobile and spent very little time at the surface between dives as it moved east along the shore before being lost from sight. In contrast the Great Northern Diver showed very well at the surface and was seen with a small flat fish which it struggled to get down its throat, it was some sort of ray or skate with a long tail but it eventually succeeded in getting it down. 

A second Great Northern Diver was found further offshore and there may have been a second Red-throated Diver present too. 

3 adult and a juvenile Gannet were picked up some distance offshore and the only other bird of note was a presumed White Wagtail feeding nearby on the grass by the sea wall.

White Wagtail

White Wagtail

I headed out along the dune ridge to Warren Point with a brief stop at the Main Pond along the way where a male Shoveler and a Little Grebe were seen. A Kestrel and a Skylark were the only birds of note at The Point while out on the water a very smart male Eider was watched diving before moving into the estuary and a Harbour (Common) Seal swam past into the estuary, quite close to the beach and unnoticed by walkers passing by.

Eider

Onwards to the hide ready for the incoming tide and both Dark-bellied and Pale-bellied Brent Geese were feeding on the eel grass out on the mudflats along with Wigeon, Teal, Shelduck, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Redshank, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, Grey Plover, a Knot, Turnstone, Ringed Plover, 3 Greenshank, Dunlin, Little Egret, 2 Sanderling and a Grey Heron.

Pale-bellied Brent Geese

As the tide flowed in the small waders began to arrive in The Bight and eventually the Little Stint was found amongst them by local birder Lee, my first of the year. There was no sign of the Bairds Sandpiper but by this time the light was horrendous as twilight fell and it was wet and windy although a Curlew Sandpiper was found after I left.

A distant small wader was found out on its own, it looked unwell and was stood in water up to its chest, it eventually flew onto the mud where I lost track of it but local birder Ivan watched it being attacked and killed by a Carrion Crow which then flew off to eat it in the dunes. Another macabre sighting was a dead Short-eared Owl on the beach being pecked at by Carrion Crows.

A female type Merlin flew through spooking all the smaller birds out on the mudflats but it was unsuccessful and flew off towards Cockwood. A second calendar year Yellow-legged Gull was picked out by Lee amongst the roosting gulls, a very smart looking bird with a very pale head with dark eye mask, a large dark bill and a dark grey mantle and keeping itself aloofly apart from the other Gulls. A colour ringed Scandinavian Rock Pipit was seen feeding in The Bight before being chased off by an unringed Rock Pipit. 

With the weather worsening, the light fading and the tide rising it was time to leave along the badly eroded beach before getting cut off by the rising tide and a Water Rail was heard squealing from the reeds around the Main Pond on the walk back to the cafe for a hot cup of tea before heading home. 

Eroded Beach

A very enjoyable day out despite the poor light and weather, no Bairds Sandpiper but very pleased to see my first Little Stint of the year on quite a late date.

A summary of the day can be found here :-

Dawlish Warren Birders

Berry Head Seawatch - Take 2

Saturday 24th October was another day with strong winds and heavy rain forecasted and so I decided to revisit Berry Head for another sea watch. I was knackered after finishing 2 busy night shifts on the Friday morning and so the 5:30 alarm call on the Saturday morning was not very welcome but I dragged myself out of bed and arrived at the quarry floor at Berry Head at just before 9:00 am. As forecasted it was very windy with spells of heavy rain but I joined the other seawatchers present full of expectation and I wasn't disappointed.

On arriving at the quarry floor Plymouth birder Pete was present as well as Dave and Mark who were there on my Tuesday visit and they immediately got me onto a Balearic Shearwater flying south, my only one of the watch this time. 

Brixham Trawler

Conditions were more challenging than on my previous visit with visibility poor at times and it was wet and quite cold but I managed to stay watching for just over 5 hours before packing up and heading back to Plymouth. 

Gannets and Kittiwakes were obvious offshore with Auks moving around and settled on the sea, both Razorbill and Guillemots identified this time. A few Fulmar were also picked up along with a single Manx Shearwater but it was more unusual fare that created the most interest 

A Great Northern Diver and a Red-throated Diver were seen flying by, the Great Northern south and the Red-throated into Torbay with another unidentified Diver flying north. 2 female Common Scoter were seen flying south along with 2 single Puffins, my first for mainland Devon and both picked up by Pete.

Skuas were noted offshore with some nice views of Arctic Skuas quite close to shore at times and Great Skuas further out. A Great Skua was watched chasing a Kittiwake, its larger size being very noticeable while another Great Skua was watched along with an Arctic Skua chasing a Kittiwake and again its larger size was very apparent. I had hoped to see a Pomarine Skua but was out of luck although one was reported.

A Merlin was a surprise as it flew along the cliff face and out of sight around the headland and later it reappeared, landing briefly on the cliff face above us before flying off again. Shortly after it was seen again flying out to sea before returning back to shore and disappearing into the quarry. A Black Redstart was also briefly seen on the footpath before flying into the bushes but I couldn't refind it.

I had some nice views of Harbour Porpoise close to shore with brief and distant views of Common Dolphins too but the highlight was a large Tuna leaping out of the water and creating quite a splash. 

Rock Pipit, Oystercatcher, Shag, Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull and Great Black-backed Gull were also seen along with a Red Admiral flitting by in a brief rainless spell.

Another very enjoyable sea watching day out with some experienced company to point out birds, I'm looking forward to my next time already. 

Berry Head Seawatch

Tuesday 20th October was the last day of my "not going to France" 6 days off and with strong winds forecasted I decided to head to Berry Head for a seawatch, only the 3rd time I have visited here and the first time with my new telescope.

It was grey and very windy on arrival but with occassional sunny spells and there was no rain for a change. It was also quite sheltered in the quarry so it was quite an enjoyable experience all round.

On arriving down in the quarry there were at least 3 Harbour Porpoise feeding close to the rocks in the calm water in the shelter of the headland, giving their usual brief views at the surface. I had a quick scan offshore with my binoculars and picked up a distant pale phased adult Arctic Skua but by the time I had gotten my telescope set up it was not surprisingly long gone. 

Brixham Trawler off Berry Head

Brixham Trawler off Berry Head

I carried on to the raised area below the coastguard lookout where the seawatchers congregate and there were 3 birders already there, all professional seawatchers with deck chairs, cameras and bigger scopes than mine but helpful and friendly.

On settling myself into position they very helpfully got me onto a Balearic Shearwater and over the course of my watch I managed to see 11 in total. A Manx Shearwater was pointed out too, providing a nice comparison to the Balearics. Even better was a Black Guillemot pointed out to me which flew in and landed on the sea, it took me a while to get onto it but I eventually managed a brief flight view of it before it landed again and immediately dived under the water, never to be seen again.

Gannets, Kittiwakes, a Fulmar, a fully summer plumaged Mediterranean Gull with 2 adult winters and a 2nd winter and Common Gulls were all seen along with a brief and distant view of an adult winter Little Gull through my binoculars which I couldn't relocate through my scope, looking small and very pale in a brief sunny spell. 

Auks were passing by regularly in small groups with birds also settled on the sea, those closer to the shore appeared to be all Guillemots. 

I picked up a juvenile Skua which flew up off the water to chase after a Kittiwake before settling on the water again, unfortunately my inexperience with sea watching failed to get the others onto the bird which I think annoyed them a little. I tried to keep tabs on the bird as it sat on the water, occassionally flying up briefly before resettling, but eventually it was lost from sight. 

I then picked up another (or the same) juvenile Skua flying low over the water towards me, the others got onto it too as it flew in quite close to shore before disappearing around the headland. I thought it looked different to the first bird I saw attacking the Kittiwake and I picked it up some way offshore, further out than the first bird had been settled on the sea but I can't be sure. It caused some debate as to its ID, it appeared to have a pale rump area but was quite small looking and with the experts unsure there was no chance I could ID it as I am very unfamiliar with juvenile Skuas. 

A very interesting sea watch which I very much enjoyed although I still have a lot to learn in terms of calling birds out and ID'ing them but I can't wait to do it again.

And so my local mini birding break ends but what a great time I've had - Lesser Yellowlegs, Ring Ouzel, Firecrest, Black Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher, Swallow, Arctic Skua, Balearic Shearwater and Black Guillemot all within 30 miles of home, not bad at all.

River Plym and Rame Head

Sunday 18th October was sunny and calm and so I decided to have my usual River Plym/Saltram wander on the last day of my "Should have been in France" weekend off. 

The tide was ebbing but it had been a very high tide and Blaxton Meadow was totally underwater again with 27 Curlew roosting on one of the small islands before flying off out onto the mudflats. A female Wigeon and 5 Shelduck were out on the water and a Kingfisher was perched in a tree along the river embankment before flying upriver.

Ring-necked Parakeets were heard squawking away in the trees along with a yaffling Green Woodpecker and the usual birds were seen including Nuthatch, Jay, Coal Tit, Goldcrest, 9+ Stock Dove, Long-tailed Tit, a Great-spotted Woodpecker and 2 Chiffchaff. A few Speckled Wood were still flitting about in sheltered spots too. 

Speckled Wood

Out on the estuary a Dunlin and 3 Greenshank were feeding with Redshank, Curlew and 4 Oystercatcher. Mallard, Canada Geese, Cormorant, Little Egret and Grey Heron were seen too. 

I had the moth box out in the back yard that night, the first night that has been dry and above 10 degrees for some time, and in the morning I had 3 moths of 3 species, 3 more than I had expected - a Light Brown Apple Moth, a Rusty Dot Pearl and an Angle Shades. 

Angle Shades

Monday 19th October and a sunny start gave way to grey skies and a chilly breeze on my walk around Rame Head with work colleague Sue and her dog Daisy. We hoped to see some Dolphins but were out of luck although the usual Gannets were seen offshore along with a few Kittiwake and at least 3 Mediterranean Gull (1 2nd winter and 2 adults).

A Stonechat, 2 Chiffchaff and a Firecrest were seen on our walk around the cliffs where 3 Fallow Deer were seen feeding. Swallow, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk were seen overhead and a few Meadow Pipits were heard flying over too.

Fallow Deer

A Yellow Dip and a Yellow Hit

I had taken a days annual leave on Friday 16th October and had requested the Saturday and Sunday off after in order to go on our annual weekend trip to France by ferry from Plymouth to Roscoff but with the COVID-19 restrictions on travel continuing we have had to give it a miss this year. I was unable to cancel my annual leave and so with 3 days off and with no rain forecasted for a change I decided I would have some birdy time to myself instead, beginning with a trip to Rame Head.

It was bright and breezy as I arrived at Rame on Friday morning at around 10:30am and a quick scan offshore from the clifftops revealed swirling groups of Gannets and Kittiwakes and a few splashes of cetacean activity but all too far away to view well.

I carried on to Rame Church where Yellow-browed Warblers had been reported and needless to say I didn't see any (although up to 7 were reported that day) but I had a good time anyway.

Highlights around the church were a Spotted Flycatcher, a female type Black Redstart, a Firecrest and a flyover Swallow along with 2 Goldcrest and 8+Chiffchaff and quite a few Red Admirals and a few Speckled Wood. I did hear a Yellow-browed Warbler calling twice but it turned out to be a birder playing it on his phone! 

Spotted Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher

Red Admiral

I walked out to The Chapel at Rame Head for a closer scan offshore and had better views of Gannets and Kittiwakes along with an adult winter plumaged Mediterranean Gull but the Common Dolphins remained secretive and elusive with just the odd splashes at the surface. A Wall flitting about around The Chapel in the sunshine was a nice sight.

Wall

A nice day out, a bit too twitchy for me with quite a few birders out and about looking for the Yellow-browed Warblers but nice to catch up with a few familiar faces despite the dip.

Saturday 17th October was grey and claggy but I headed out to South Efford Marsh at Aveton Gifford anyway to look for a reported Lesser Yellowlegs. I arrived at around 11am and met a birder just leaving the nature reserve who hadn't seen the bird but I carried onwards to the hide with high hopes.

South Efford Marsh

I scanned around from the hide for around an hour as the tide ebbed and the marsh began to slowly drain and noted a Kingfisher, 4 Greenshank, a Chiffchaff, a Shelduck, a Grey Heron, a female Teal, 2 Little Egret and a flyover Greylag Geese along with the usual Mallard, Redshank, Curlew, Mute Swan and Gulls including an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull.

I concentrated on scanning the right side of the marsh as viewed from the hide where the Lesser Yellowlegs has mostly been seen but there was no sign of it. However when I eventually scanned to the left of the hide there it was, feeding right out in the open on the marsh with a Greenshank and a Redshank. 

Lesser Yellowlegs

Lesser Yellowlegs

I left the hide to view the bird from the footpath and had some great views as it fed, preened, pooped and regurgitated small pellets. Certainly the best views of Lesser Yellowlegs I have ever had and much better than last years distant and heat hazy views at this site. And I had it all to myself with 3 more birders not arriving until I was just about to leave.

More Ouzels

Thursday 15th October was bright and sunny, ideal for my planned birdy day out with my mate Mavis to the Avon Dam to look for Ring Ouzels. Reports had dried up after last weeks flurry of sightings but 6 had been reported as present the previous day so we kept our fingers crossed on the drive to the Shipley Bridge car park.

The river level was much lower than it was on lasts weeks visit and as a result it was a much quieter walk without the roar of the water and there was no water flowing over the Dam either. A tractor and a digger were trundling back and forth along the path with loads of gravel which were being dumped into the river, apparently to provide areas for fish to spawn as the gravel gets dispersed downstream by the winter floods.

On walking up the valley to the first bridge there were a group of birders/toggers scanning the hillsides and we quickly found a couple of Ring Ouzels perched up in the tree tops but they were distant and flighty. Eventually we managed to get some decent views of at least 4 birds but probably more were present as they were very flighty and very skulky in the cover of holly and rhododendron bushes. 

Ring Ouzels

Ring Ouzel

We carried on up the valley and as we neared the Dam a group of 5 Ring Ouzels flew over and landed in the bushes inside the quarry and we were able to get some good views of them feeding on berries before they disappeared into cover.

Ring Ouzels

Heading back down the valley to the first bridge and birders/toggers were still present and watching Ouzels and it was here that we had our best views of 2 birds scoffing down rowan berries in a tree near to the path before disappearing into cover with at least another 2 birds present nearby

Ring Ouzel

Ring Ouzel

Ring Ouzel

After watching the Ouzels for a while a Sparrowhawk was picked up rocketing down the hillside towards us, dispersing all the birds in all directions. Fortunately it failed to make a kill (this time) but with the birds spooked and time moving on it was time to head homewards.

A very enjoyable day out as always and in lovely weather with Chiffchaff, Raven, Peregrine, Mistle Thrush, Coal Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Song Thrush, Goldcrest, Kestrel and Buzzard also noted along with a Small Copper and a few Red Admirals. And certainly the best views of Ring Ouzels I've ever had at the Avon Dam. 

Ouzels, Skuas and Choughs

Thursday 8th October was grey and wet on awakening but the forecast was for the rain to clear mid morning and so we headed off to the Avon Dam for a walk as the path is tarmac and mud free and Ring Ouzels had been reported there the previous day. 

On arriving the rain had indeed stopped and as we walked up the valley towards the Dam we met many happy birders walking back down to the car park who had seen up to 12 Ring Ouzels. 

As we arrived at the area where the Ouzels had been seen I eventually found an adult male sat in a tree but distant and obscured by branches. A second male was sitting in a neighbouring tree and eventually came right out into the open before dropping down onto the ground. A female was then found in another tree just as 10 Mistle Thrush exploded out of it and flew off north with the Ouzel joining them. Not the best views but nice to see them all the same. 

Walking back to the car and another male was seen feeding in a rowan tree close to the footpath before flying off and then a juvenile bird was seen with Blackbirds feeding in a rowan tree by the footpath before it too disappeared into cover. 

Ring Ouzel, Avon Dam

Ring Ouzel

Other birds of note were a Green Woodpecker, a Raven, 2 Goldcrest, a Redwing, a Kestrel and 2 Buzzard before we retired to nearby Ashburton for tea and cake. 

Friday 9th October was grey and breezy and with my new tripod having arrived in the post I was keen to go and try it out and so I headed off to Wembury for a walk. 

The tide was high and roosting out on the rocks with the Oystercatchers were 2 Little Egret, 7 Curlew and a single Bar-tailed Godwit with 2 1st winter Mediterranean Gulls. 

Curlew, Wembury

Bar-tailed Godwit

Along the footpath Stonechat, Cirl Buntings and a female Blackcap were seen along with a Redwing and a Great Spotted Woodpecker flying over the valley to the beach. 

Stonechat

Cirl Bunting

Robin 

Gannets were flying around and diving offshore along with Kittiwakes and 4 Common Scoter were seen flying west. A distant small and dark Skua Sp. was briefly seen chasing a Kittiwake before it disappeared amongst the waves and I also had a brief view of a pale phase adult Arctic Skua closer in before it too was lost from sight. I then picked up 2 birds flying fast and low over the water towards the shore and at first I thought they were some kind of wader but as they flew nearer they began to chase after a group of 4 feeding Kittiwake and revealed themselves to be 2 adult pale phase Arctic Skua. After harrasing the Kittiwakes and getting a regurgitated meal from them they flew quickly back out to sea and were lost to sight but great to see, thankfully I had my telescope with me otherwise I probably wouldn't have picked them up at all.

2 Common Lizard, a Knot Grass caterpillar, a Dark Bush Cricket, a Speckled Wood and a brief view of a Grass Snake disappearing into the bracken were also seen. 

Common Lizard

Common Lizard

Knot Grass Caterpillar

Dark Bush Cricket

Saturday 10th October and I finally made the trip down to Porthgwarra in Cornwall, somewhere I have wanted to visit for some time now. I wanted to do a bit of a reccey of the area in the hope of maybe getting down there next year for some seawatching and I also hoped to see some Chough which are present along the coast here and also a Turtle Dove being seen around a farm nearby

I started off at Ardensaweth Farm where the Turtle Dove had been reported but there was no sign of it amongst the 20+ Collared Dove feeding around the buildings and so I carried on to the Coastguard Lookout on the coast. 

Arriving on the clifftops at Porthgwarra and I immediately found 2 Chough busily feeding on the short turf with Jackdaws and despite being neurotic and flighty they allowed very close approach and very good views. One bird was unringed and occassionally begged for food from the other ringed bird, presumably a young bird with an adult?

Chough, Porthgwarra

Choughs

Another 2 ringed birds flew in to join them and then another 2 birds appeared, one landed and was unringed but I couldn't see the legs of the other bird as it flew overhead. All of the Choughs then took to the air together and flew off noisily along the coast and out of sight  - lovely birds in a wonderful setting, I only wish I wasn't suffering from a banging headache at the time which put a bit of a crimp on my enjoyment of them.

Porthgwarra

Porthgwarra

I had planned to walk along the coast to Porthcurno but decided to retrace my steps and head back to Ardensaweth Farm to look again for the Turtle Dove and on arriving at the farm buildings I immediately found it feeding on top of a haystack before it flew onto the barn roof to rest and preen with the Collared Dove. After a while it flew down to the ground to feed amongst the Collared Doves before it wandered off out of sight- a lovely bird and one I haven't seen well for many years now. I hope it successfully migrates and returns next year as unfortunately Turtle Dove seems to be rapidly becoming the European equivalent of the North American Passenger Pigeon and we all know how that ended.

Turtle Dove with Collared Dove, Ardensaweth Farm

Turtle Dove

Turtle Dove

And so our holiday-less holiday ends, the weather was disappointing (it could have been worse but it also could have been better) but we had a good time and I saw some good birds. Back to work and reality now, I will miss all the sleep I have been able to get but my liver could do with a rest after all the booze I've consumed!

Wind and Rain!

Our Holiday-less Holiday continues and the weather has been pretty vile to say the least with what seems to be constant grey skies, strong winds and heavy rain. No chance of any moth boxing in the back yard either with chilly and wet nights and while the east coast of England enjoys a fantastic autumn of bird migration the South West remains very quiet. Never mind but I had hoped for something more interesting as we are usually on foreign travels at this time of year and I always miss out on UK birding at this time. 

Undettered we headed down to Looe by train on Saturday 3rd October with friends Julie and Matt for an overnight stay but the weather was horrid and we actually returned earlier than planned on the Sunday as it really was quite foul. Nothing too exciting was seen on the bird front but there were 3 Eider just off the main beach, a male, a female and an juvenile/eclipse male, and I also had a very brief view of a Great Northern Diver further out just as it dived but I couldn't relocate it. 

Eider, Looe

Looe Signage

Tuesday 6th October was very windy with heavy showers but there was something unusual in the skies too - the sun! - and so we drove up to Stover Park for a walk before heading to The Brookside Cafe at Bovey Tracy for a late lunch. 

It has been a while since we last visited Stover Park and there have been some interesting changes. The footpath around the lake has been improved and is now wider and gravel covered so much less muddy and easier to walk along. Also dogs now have to be kept on a lead at all times around the Lake - I love dogs but am not so keen on dog owners who often ignore the needs of wildlife and the enjoyment of other users of the countryside so this is quite an interesting and welcome development. The construction of the reed bed to help filter the polluted water entering the lake is also now completed and the water quality does look a little better which will hopefully improve and increase the biodiversity of the lake which has notably declined over recent years. 

There were good numbers of wildfowl out on the lake, the most I have seen here before, and amongst the Mallard and Moorhen and Canada Geese were a male Pochard, 2 Mute Swan with 2 grown Cygnets, Coot including 5 juveniles, Black-headed Gulls, 2 Great-crested Grebe (an adult attending to a juvenile), at least 24 active and mobile Tufted Duck (11 females), a Cormorant and a very tame small duck that appeared to be a Mallard x Teal hybrid. 

Teal, Stover Park

Teal x Mallard?

Teal - green speculum but with a hint of blue

Crossbills and Siskins were seen and heard overhead and a Great Spotted Woodpecker chipped away in the pine trees. Nuthatch, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Blue Tit and Great Tit were seen on the bird feeders with 3 Grey Squirrels scavenging the scraps beneath them. 

Bees and Flys were buzzing around the Ivy blossom and included 2 massive Hornets. Common Darters were flying around too in sheltered spots when the sun appeared and included mating pairs.

Hornet

Hornet

Hornet

Common Darter

Common Darter

Thursday 7th October was bright and sunny and calm but with rain and wind forecasted for late afternoon I headed off in the morning for a walk along the River Plym and around Saltram Park.

It was a very high tide and Blaxton Meadow was again almost totally water covered but roosting out on the Meadow were 8 Greenshank, 38 Curlew, 6 Oystercatcher, 3 Redshank, 2 Shelduck, 1 Grey Heron and 11 Little Egret along with Canada Geese, Herring Gull and Black-headed Gull.

A roosting flock of around 140 Redshank were along the river embankment by the A374 with 12 Grey Heron while out on the water were a few Cormorant and Mallard. A Kingfisher dashed past over the water calling noisily but was never to be seen again.

In the Park both Green- and Great-spotted Woodpecker and Nuthatch were heard but not seen while Ring-necked Parakeets noisily flew around overhead. Stock Dove, 2 Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Buzzard and Jay were also seen. A worn Speckled Wood, a Large White and a Small White were also noted.

Speckled wood, Saltram

The grass on Chelson Meadow had been cut, I'm not sure why but maybe it gets cut every year at this time and I have never noticed, but mobile and flighty Meadow Pipits were very much enjoying feeding amongst the grass cuttings.

I spent a bit of time looking for Firecrests but with no luck so I headed home via the Plymouth University Campus where 2 Firecrest have been reported and eventually I found them busily feeding in a holly tree along with a Chiffchaff. 2 Speckled Wood flitted about in the nearby tree tops and a Siskin was heard flying over. A Brown Rat rooting around in a nearby hedgerow was a bit of a surprise.

I also had a look around Drakes Reservoir where a Kingfisher has been reported and I easily found it resting on the stone wall of the reservoir. It occassionally flew over the water calling noisily, hovering at times over the water and diving in to catch small fish.

Kingfisher, Drakes Reservoir

A Grey Wagtail was also feeding along the waters edge while a large and stunning Golden Carp swam around in the water amongst its black relatives.

Grey Wagtail

Golden Carp

Golden Carp

Golden Carp