BIRD NEWS:572

The lesser white-fronted geese are now resident in the diving bird exhibit. They now hang out with the long tailed ducks and common scoters.

My last shot from Arundel is taken of Swanbourne Lake as I walked homeward - earlier than planned due to being denied sleep courtesy of noisy neighbros who thought it fine to party til 2am...then wake me again at 4.30am. I wasn't feeling well, so went straight home at lunch time instead of going in to Worthing to shop first. Due to the Coronavirus precaustions, this was to be the last bus trip I took during March, choosing to avoid public transport for a few weeks. I tried to capture the red-nosed goose breed....but it waddled away. Monday was the first day we had sunshine all day long this year - and Liz and I began the day with an excursion for a coffee/walk to Southwater Country Park. We spotted a mystery bird on the lake on arrival...merganzer? grebe?

Around a bit further, we discovered a pair of mute swans nesting near the bridge. Apparently they had four eggs, though I only spotted 3 - Liz and a notice said 4, though. Mommy swan was standing to one side preening, not sitting on her eggs at first, and maybe didn't realize that looking good was done with now she had eggs. Daddy swan was lifting branches and sticks then dropping them - as if not knowing what comes next after supplying his mate with nesting materials...

We ended up near the pond again and this time could spot that the mystery bird was a grebe. Not a blacknecked one like at WWT, but a normal one.