Filby Broad Velvet Scoter

A very early start yesterday morning, Tuesday 23rd November, as I had to be at Martham Primary School at 9am sharp for some Library work, I called in at Filby Broad in Norfolk at 8.15am and almost immediately spotted the very strikingly plumaged female Velvet Scoter that has been there a while. Looking from the roadside, she was on the western side of the Broad, near a very fine male Goldeneye.

The Velvet Scoter was dark brown in plumage with a very striking white facial cheek patch, the white area was the in shape of a vertical figure of 8. She constantly dived, initially the white wing clip couldn't be seen at all but after she rose and flapped her wings the white in the wings were seen fully and then the white wwing clip was seen at rest afterwards too.

A quick return visit at lunchtime, she was nearer the road having swum much further left, first seen through the bushes she was swimming back to the middle of the Broad, a fine bird.