NORTH DOWNS & BEYOND

On a modestly sized park pond in Reigate, Surrey (Priory Park), this female Ring-necked Duck has turned up to spend the winter for the second successive year. The pond does punch above its weight (more a small lake really) by enticing Shoveler, Teal, Gadwall and Wigeon to also spend some quality time there. My good friend Gordon Hay first found this bird back in December 2020, and located it again in December 2021. It can often be found at the far end of the water, often with a handful of Tufted Ducks, and allows close approach. Last year it switched to Holmethorpe Sand Pits before the season was out - it will be interesting to see whether it does so again.

Yesterday morning, Gordon Hay found a female Ring-necked Duck on Priory Park Lake in Reigate. This record has echoes of the Ewell bird that spent two winters, 18 years ago, on a far more modest park pond. I paid my respects this morning, with the bird seemingly aware that there were birders present - when it came close it ensured that there was plenty of bank-side vegetation between it and the path that I was standing on. That made observation fleeting and difficult. After 15 minutes it then swam across the lake and decided to play hide-and-seek amongst some overhanging trees and submerged roots. This bit of dodgy video is the best that I could manage. Hopefully it is here for the winter. Gordon is now hoping that this North-American vagrant decides to pay his beloved Holmethorpe a visit - only three miles away as the duck flies.