Very Shaky, But...

...an unusual sight on patch. A Red-breasted Merganser, on the Aire and Calder Canal, just off Wakefield Road.

A lucky sighting in more ways than one. Today's weather was shocking. After four consecutive days when I'd managed to get some birding in each day, I decided to stay in this morning, to do some BAWC-ing, then help Rebecca with the weekly shop this afternoon.

As we were returning from Lidls, Rebecca saw a bunch of birders peering at something from the bridge over the canal. "Do you know any of them?", she asked. "I know all of them!", I replied, "And they're onto something".

After a swift (but legal) dash home to dump the shopping and pick up my scope, I drove swiftly (but again, legally) back to the bridge to get great views of a bird I usually have to travel much further north to see.