Great bird today in the form of a Velvet Scoter a really super find by Dave Daniels who found it a short time after an out of county birder had clocked it. I had a delivery of millet to make to Eynsham to replenish the stock of our Tree Sparrow volunteer Sally and en-route called in at the big concrete basin to be met by Lewbelou Lewington who was able to tell me that this was the first VS for some 25 years. Carried on to the small group of birders at the new hide who were watching it out on the water at extreme range nevertheless I had great views of it due to the kind action of Ian Smith as he let me look through his scope.It was a marvellous occasion not least because of the Oxon birders in attendance - we really are blessed with the nicest of folk that watch our county birds and for me this is what makes being an Oxon birder very special. The Velvet One gave a couple of fly pasts once due to a boat getting too near it.
The bird was much too far away for any sort of decent photo but at least King Camera (Roger Wyatt) was in position and I look forward to any snaps he may have got, I left after about half an hour or so snapping a Sanderling and a Rock Pipit although the bright sunlight made even this birds legs look reddish .
After delivering the millet I drove back home but on the way decided to call in on one of our Tree Sparrow sites, but by now the light was failing and apart from startling a Barn Owl this was to be another wonderful day spent birding in Oxfordshire.
The Oxon Feather.
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