{"id":6765,"date":"2013-12-15T19:49:16","date_gmt":"2013-12-15T19:49:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/?p=6765"},"modified":"2013-12-20T18:15:35","modified_gmt":"2013-12-20T18:15:35","slug":"a-bird-worth-twitching-velvet-scoter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/a-bird-worth-twitching-velvet-scoter\/","title":{"rendered":"A Bird Worth Twitching &#8211; Velvet Scoter!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n\t<strong><span style=\"color:#FF8C00;\">Eyebrook Reservoir in Leicestershire was one of the first major bird watching jaunts I undertook as a small child<\/span><\/strong>. On the&nbsp;22nd of January 1967&nbsp;I can remember joining a Derbyshire Ornithological Society Field Trip to this site, seeing my first Goldeneye, Bewick&#39;s Swan, Goosander and a range of common wildfowl. Fortyfive years on and Eyebrook is still as good today as it was then. Since about the 8th December 2013,&nbsp;a beautiful drake <span style=\"color:#FFFF00;\">Velvet Scoter<\/span> has graced the reservoir, showing incredibly well at times. It is very unusual to get such crippling views of this seaduck. Normally &nbsp;a distant speck out at&nbsp;sea is all&nbsp;you tend to get. In 50 years of bird watching, this is the first close encounter I have had with a drake Velvet Scoter and what a stunning bird. Today the 15th December, I went to photograph this bird which has been&nbsp;faithful to the Fishing Lodge &amp; Dam end of the reservoir, an area of Eyebrook that I have never visited before. Also here were 2 drake <span style=\"color:#FFFF00;\">Smew<\/span>, a pair&nbsp;of <span style=\"color:#FFFF00;\">Ruddy Shelduck&nbsp;<\/span>and plenty of common waterfowl. Later in the morning we visited Rutland Water&#39;s North Arm and found three <span style=\"color:#FFFF00;\">Black-necked Grebe, <\/span>single Goosander and a single<span style=\"color:#FFFF00;\"> Long-tailed Duck<\/span>. All in all not a bad mornings birding and <strong><span style=\"color:#FF0000;\">a year tick to take my year list on to 260.<\/span><\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Velvet-Scoter-87243672A\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6766\" height=\"526\" src=\"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Velvet-Scoter-87243672A.jpg\" width=\"850\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Velvet-Scoter-87243672A.jpg 850w, https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Velvet-Scoter-87243672A-150x92.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Velvet-Scoter-87243672A-300x185.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Velvet-Scoter-87243672A-700x433.jpg 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Velvet-Scoter-87373673\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6767\" height=\"526\" src=\"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Velvet-Scoter-87373673.jpg\" width=\"850\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Velvet-Scoter-87373673.jpg 850w, https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Velvet-Scoter-87373673-150x92.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Velvet-Scoter-87373673-300x185.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Velvet-Scoter-87373673-700x433.jpg 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Velvet-Scoter-86073676\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6768\" height=\"526\" src=\"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Velvet-Scoter-86073676.jpg\" width=\"850\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Velvet-Scoter-86073676.jpg 850w, https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Velvet-Scoter-86073676-150x92.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Velvet-Scoter-86073676-300x185.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Velvet-Scoter-86073676-700x433.jpg 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Velvet-Scoter-86513669\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6769\" height=\"526\" src=\"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Velvet-Scoter-86513669.jpg\" width=\"850\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Velvet-Scoter-86513669.jpg 850w, https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Velvet-Scoter-86513669-150x92.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Velvet-Scoter-86513669-300x185.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Velvet-Scoter-86513669-700x433.jpg 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Velvet-Scoter-87083671\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6770\" height=\"526\" src=\"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Velvet-Scoter-87083671.jpg\" width=\"850\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Velvet-Scoter-87083671.jpg 850w, https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Velvet-Scoter-87083671-150x92.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Velvet-Scoter-87083671-300x185.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Velvet-Scoter-87083671-700x433.jpg 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\tAbove 5 images &#8211; <strong>Drake Velvet Scoter<\/strong> &#8211; Eyebrokk Reservoir, Leicestershire &#8211; Dec 15th 2013 &#8211; <em>Tony Davison&copy;<\/em>\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Mute-Swan3677\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6771\" height=\"815\" src=\"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Mute-Swan3677.jpg\" width=\"550\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Mute-Swan3677.jpg 550w, https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Mute-Swan3677-101x150.jpg 101w, https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Mute-Swan3677-202x300.jpg 202w, https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Mute-Swan3677-472x700.jpg 472w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t<strong>Adult Mute Swan<\/strong> &#8211; Eyebrook Reservoir &#8211; 15th December 2013 &#8211; <em>Tony Davison&copy;<\/em>\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Eyebrook Reservoir in Leicestershire was one of the first major bird watching jaunts I undertook as a small child. On the&nbsp;22nd of January 1967&nbsp;I can remember joining a Derbyshire Ornithological Society Field Trip to this site, seeing my first Goldeneye, Bewick&#39;s Swan, Goosander and a range of common wildfowl. Fortyfive years on and Eyebrook is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[203,18,529,172],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6765","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-203","category-birds","category-birdsof2013","category-year"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6765","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6765"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6765\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6765"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6765"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6765"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}