Finally, the Velvet Scoter!

On Wednesday 1st November, another very early morning before work trip to Mutford Lock, I instantly saw the fine Velvet Scoter and also 2 1st winter Shags and a Little Egret fishing very close to the path but the light was awful. Looking into the sun reflecting off the water made photography extremely difficult. A return visit in the afternoon and the light was better with the sun behind me but rather annoyingly, I just missed the chink of sunlight that illuminated the scene which was promptly covered by cloud the very second I got there! The fine Velvet Scoter was fishing very close to the bridge path again and I was joined by Peter No and later by Dick W and we enjoyed good views. The bird would swim right and then it turned left, it would then promptly dive every time, often surfacing minutes later with a mussel between its mandibles, which it would promptly devour! Once or twice it rose up on its haunches and flapped its wings showing the white on the wings. It then swam back almost to the area underneath the railway line before it once again returned to the south side of Mutford Lock. Where I managed a few shots and pleased with the results.