Helston Boating Lake in the Rain

  John received a text message from Steve Rogers this morning to tell him that he had found a male Garganey on Helston Boating Lake. Five minutes later we were in the car and on our way! That's twitching for you!

  We found the Garganey out in the middle of the water and keeping its distance from the path that surrounds the lake. It was quite nervous and would seek shelter around the island occasionally coming out to accompany the Mallards as they swam around the lake looking for anyone with food! Unfortunately, whilst the Mallards would come very close the Garganey would stay further out.

  We watched the Garganey for a good hour, before it decided it was brave enough to make its way to the side of the lake where some Mallards were preening. To our amazement it then got out of the water, stood on the bank and started to preen!

  The photographs I have shown below of the Garganey are heavily cropped but they are records shots of a duck that is usually quite hard to see, let alone photograph.

Garganey in the rain!

  We also went to see the Whooper Swan who now seems quite at home with the Mute Swans. It is more confident now and was putting some of the Mute Swans in their place with the odd peck!

 On the way back to the car I took the photograph below of a Coot, which I have converted to black and white.