New for Rotherhithe - Long-tailed Duck

I had a relaxed morning, with just a brief look at the usual congregation of gulls on Greenland Dock. Having started to do a bit of writing up of the gulls section for the London Bird Report 2011, the fine weather tempted me out early afternoon. I needed to go to the shopping centre on my way to Crossness (to get some new passport photos as I've ran out of pages in my current passport!), so did my usual check of Canada Water in the unusually glorious sunshine. It wasn't on the first scan, but pretty soon after, that I picked up a Long-tailed Duck - patch gold! The same bird as seen in Peckham last Saturday to Monday, and then found on Greenwich Park yesterday evening, this mobile female was a welcome find and obviously the first for Rotherhithe.

Having found it mid afternoon, I returned later in the evening to get some photos in a different light. Like in Peckham, it showed well so I managed some decent photos in the changeable light. So as well as this Arctic duck, Rotherhithe was full of birds - four Common Terns on the platforms of Surrey Water, three Egyptian Geese, Reed Warbler, a couple of Sand Martins and plenty of large gulls.

No apologies that this one showy bird has monopolised the last three posts! And if it's still around tomorrow, sure it'll feature again.