Wednesday 2nd February (Dundivers, Sawbills or just Goosander)

Mr. Kite looked out of his bedroom window to see a glint of sunrise above the horizon. With rain forecast, and the sky grey, Mr. Kite was going to the lagoon less than two miles away. But first Mr. Kite had to replace the rear inner tube on the beast.

Eventually Mr. Kite was cycling to the lagoon. Today the gate in the lane was shut and he had to dismount and push the beast through the pedestrian gate. Near the lagoon Mr. Kite could hear the sounds of Mallards and Black-headed Gulls. Opening the hide windows he looked out onto a lagoon where the birds were concentrated in one corner where there was a thin layer of ice. With more than fifty Black-headed Gulls, a similar number of Mallards the corner was crowded. Some sat on the thin ice, others skated around and some birds enjoyed the water. Overhead Wood Pigeons, Stock Doves and Jackdaw flew in flocks towards the trees.

The birds in the corner did not move far so pair of Goosander had the lagoon to themselves. For one hour these birds swam and dived eating a few small fish. Mr. Kite could easily distinguish the male and female of the pair; the male had a greenish black head and the lady had a rusty red-brown head.

As the pair swam and dived closely to each other Mr. Kite watched them closely. The male's head, and half the neck, was a shiny greenish black and his body bright white with a black top half to the back. When the male swam away from Mr. Kite he noticed four white patches shaped almost like diamonds. Now the male was a splendid creature but the female was equally splendid in a different way. Mrs. Goosander reminded Mr. Kite of a dappled grey mare with a rusty red mane. She too had a red sawbill but her had did not have a crest of shaggy feathers but a mane that flowed from the back of her head as she moved around. Her body was not shiny white like her partner but similar to a dapple grey mare.

Today spring was not in the air but the green shoots of recovery could be seen emerging in sheltered sunny places. Little bright green pointers could be seen breaking the earth and moving the fine particles of soil aside making way for the larger stems that would follow carrying all those curled up leaves.

As Mr. Kite looked out of the hide towards the west he could see the grey clouds building up and darkening and the threat of rain. Now Mr. Kite does not mind rain but today he wanted to stay dry so he cycled home to enjoy a tipple of Tetley tea. Cha and good fishing to all Goosander.