Goosanders at dusk

I'd heard that a couple of Goosanders have been coming in to the Otter Estuary at about 4:45pm, staying for about 20 mins, then leaving again. Yesterday I'd been doing jobs about the house all day, so by 4:30 I was ready for some fresh air, exercise & with  a bit of luck, a Goosander or 2.

I dashed over to the White Bridge & headed downstream. I wasn't sure where they usually hang out, so just checked all the way down, unfortunately without success. I decided to have a quick look to see if there was anything out to sea, so dashed up to the front before it got too dark. There was a Great Crested Grebe right ahead of me, then I checked towards the estuary mouth & I was very pleasantly surprised to see a lovely male Goosander. It was so close to the beach that it was soon hidden by the pebbles. It's not easy to walk quietly on a pebble beach, so despite my best efforts it flew before I could get it back in the scope, along with another male & 3 females that had been hidden from view. They flew over the beach & landed further up the estuary.

The beach at the Otter Estuary mouth taken with my phone (I forgot the camera)

I walked back towards the bridge in the twilight, just able to see 2 amazingly bright Mute Swans gliding up the estuary & listening to some eerie noises from the marsh.

Year List now at 120.