The inclusion of this bird is quite amusing. I don't want to be too self deprecating, but it makes me realise what a "numpty" I can bee sometimes. It is also a lesson not to assume anything, and to look more carefully at everything you see. Yesterday I had visited Dawlish Warren in the hope of getting a nice shot of a Little Grebe for my gallery which as you can see be below, on the Blog, was successful. I had bumped in to one of the Dawlish Birders by the name of Dave, a charming and interesting local expert who had mentioned Sand Lizard to me. I took his advice and went up on to the dune ridge to see if I could find one or two, but no I didn't. As I looked out to the sea, just off shore there were 4 ducks. I assumed they were Scoters and I still haven't taken any shots of them for the gallery either so I rushed down to the shore line to grab a photo or two. It was hard and the photos were poor to say the least. When I got home I had a quick look on the mac and I was even more disappointed when it looked as though they were in fact Widgeon and not Scoter. I have loads of Widgeon pictures and from much, much closer, I left it at that without bothering to check properly even though one did appear to have quite a white head. That's where I want my "backside" kicked because at that point I should have looked more carefully. Anyway, to complete the story, today on the DevonBirds Blog I read that an American Widgeon was one of 4 ducks seen off the point at Dawlish Warren in the afternoon, obviously the birds that I had seen in the morning. Doh! Well at least I have got some kind of photo and it's one for the gallery after all......................and a lifetime first for me as well!
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