This afternoon, I made a quick stop at Newchurch Common while passing the site. The weather wasn’t ideal—Cheshire had seen relentless rain for the past two days—but it was worth braving the elements to try and photograph the Red-crested Pochard that had been present for the last couple of weeks.
On arrival, I was delighted to find the pochard close to the shore, offering excellent photographic opportunities. It had been years since I last saw a Red-crested Pochard in Cheshire, so this was a particularly rewarding moment.
Red Crested Pochard
Even better, as I was standing in the pouring rain photographing the pochard, a female Redhead Smew landed right behind it. This bird has been present for several weeks and showed extremely well before flying to the far side of the pool, providing a rare two-species spectacle in one frame.
Redhead Smew
Other notable species on the site included Bullfinch, Goldfinch, Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Gadwall, and at least 40 Wigeon. Despite the rain, it was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon of birding and a reminder that great birds can appear even in the worst weather.