Yes, that's the least problematic part of those photos. The feet and bills are definitely very odd though!

The one I really want is Lesser Scaup. Didn't see the only Eyebrook record (2006ish I think?) and never found one.

Certainly seems like it this autumn! 😄

Thanks Mark. Another one, like the American GP, where I must have looked through 100s of 1000s of the common species over the years before finding a Yank! Doesn't seem to be anything amongst the huge Aythya flock yet apart from one Scaup, but we'll hopefully get something over the winter.

Classic example of Betteridge's Law of Headlines - any headline that ends in a question mark can be answered by the word "no".

I've only seen one of these before, years ago in Leics. So probably is rarer than Lesser Scaup!

Yes, I did briefly wonder if it could be anything else, but I'm sure it's just an odd Willow Beauty.

And so much 'used' gear has hardly actually been used at all. I bought both my current scopes (Kowa 883 & 55) second hand from dealers, but neither looked like they'd ever been out of the box. Saved a total of around £1500 on new prices in total.

I was quite surprised how many there were. Got them out again tonight - maybe a few more migrants will have penetrated further inland. 🤞

Crazy!

Definitely. I always think when you pick out something like this it shows you're looking properly, even if it's not an actual rarity!

Yes, looks the same size as the others. The American GP at Eyebrook is very obviously smaller, and darker rather than paler than the Golden Plovers.

Thanks Steph. I do like drawing stones! Not so keen on vegetation and leaves though. 😄

Shrews aren't rodents, they're Insectivores.

That's a @sj84turner.bsky.social level of joke! 👏😂