Fun and Games with Blue-winged Teal at Carlton Marshes! 7 June 2016

Blue-winged Teal is a bird I've not seen for years so I was quite keen to see this one. Having decided not to go the previous evening due to reports of it being 'distant through the heat haze' I took my birding stuff to work today so I could dash off quickly from Weybread.
The bird didn't exactly play ball but luckily after a long walk and much scanning it gave itself up on the main scrape. A lovely looking drake in good light by viewing from the SW side of the scrape.

Also on the scrape were c5 Shoveler, c15 Teal, Little Egret, Snipe, Redshank, lots of young Lapwings and a dodgy Greylag x Canada Goose hybrid for those who like that sort of stuff. On the walk down the main track a nice Hobby hawked overhead and before that I'd scored with 2 Fen Raft Spiders in a dyke not far from the visiter centre, c12 Hairy Dragonflies, Scarce Chaser, Four-spotted Chaser and Painted Lady. Barn Owl and Cuckoo rounded things off.The spiders were very welcome and fullfilled my promise to myself that I was going to see them this year. It was also nice to catch up with Dave Holman and Peter Gluth too. Thanks for the lift down the track Pete!  

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