Old Vicarage Weekend

A rather slow weekend here on the Oxon/Bucks border. Managed to visit Farmoor Reservoir this morning (wasn't sure if the Covid Gestapo would lynch me but seems like okay to travel and exercise- I'm genuinely not sure so took the benefit of the doubt to twitch a Oxfordshire tick). The rest of the weekend was spent working on the Azores Rare Bird Reports and Portuguese Rarities Committee work and a bit of time in the garden planning the new moth and butterfly bed. 

No Ebird lists yet as Ebird is down for maintenance at the moment.  Moth trap was quiet, just a few December moths, Silver Y and Grey-pine Carpet. 

Adult female Scaup, presumably a returning bird from last year (SEE HERE ). Also a juvenile Scaup and male Tufted Duck. The juvenile bird was smaller than the female and also lacked a white ear covert patch (more typical of classic juv Scaup). See some cautious remarks in this caption link above.  

Adult female and juvenile Scaup 

The juvenile Great Northern Diver (an Oxon lifer) was playing hard to get early morning. The bird has been present since early November (much better pics and vid HERE) 

Female (above) and male (below) December moths 

The antennae of these male December moths are stunning 

Another rather smart looking Silver-Y (all of the recent ones have been fresh looking)