A Grey Phalarope, a small wader species that breeds in the high arctic and winters at sea, was discovered on the River Wye in the middle of Bakewell, Derbyshire, of all places on the late morning of the 25th October 2020. Just goes to show that rare birds can be found anywhere, along with an element of luck.
This bird was a first winter, so this years youngster. The young birds often get blown off course and turn-up inland, usually on a reservoir. They can be very confiding, as was the case with this bird. Totally oblivious to the presence of humans, it may never have seen any before.
It was frantically feeding, in typical phalarope fashion, on small insect life on the surface of the water. Like a small clock-work toy, it came within a few feet of the admiring public and the few birders that were present. The bird must have departed overnight as there was no sign of it on the morning of the 26th October 2020.
Also a female type Goosander and a fantastic fight between two Coot that was extremely distracting from the Grey Phalarope and lasted several minutes.
