Grimsbury Reservoir: Grey Phalarope gallery

Much excitement at Grimsbury Reservoir this week with the discovery of a Grey Phalarope on Monday evening by John Friendship-Taylor.  Within a hour, a small gathering of local birders had assembled to enjoy great close-up views.  This ocean-faring wader was one of several blown off course by recent gales and taking temporary respite on our inland lakes and reservoirs.  The first ever recorded at Grimsbury, and only the fourth in the BOS recording area. 

It stayed for four days, enabling many to catch up with it, and no doubt many thousands for full frame images were taken!  It spend nearly all it's time feeding along the eastern shore of the concrete-lined reservoir, continually picking around for tiny food items. Incredibly confiding, it was content to walk or swim within a metre or so of the anglers and photographers sitting along the shoreline. I took a series of photos during it's stay in different weather and light conditions.  Here are a selection: