A walk down the River Medway between East Farleigh and Barming Bridges turned up a good count of ducks for this stretch of the river; 26x Tufted Ducks, 4x Pochard (3 male/1 female) and 1x Gadwall (a first for me on this stretch of water). Thirty-one Cormorants and a Kingfisher were also seen. However one bird stood out from the flock as it quite an extensive area of white around the base of the bill. It lacked the greyish vermiculations I'd expect on a Scaup, but did not have a 'tuft', had a less-angled head and lacked black on it's bill. The 'pale' area on the flanks seemed more extensive then on the neighbouring Tufted Ducks. It probably is a Tufted but I wondered if there was any possibility it was Tufted X Scaup hybrid?
Yesterday was obviously a good day for ducks as yesterday's Shoveler and Tufties had moved on. A Grey Heron took off from the side of the lake as I arrived and a flash of blue signalled a Kingfisher, my first here for many months. 34 Greylag Geese grazed the cricket pitch, where more Black-headed Gulls loafed - some almost in full summer plumage now (but no Med Gulls amongst them). The Snowdrops and Winter Aconites were in full flower, the buzz of busy bees making it feel like Spring at last.
Kingfishers darted ahead of me and themselves put a Grey Heron up from the river's edge. Near Teston Bridge I got onto a small flock of Siskin feeding in a Alder. On the walk back two Cormorants flew over, followed by a single Lapwing. Seven Redpoll were still feeding in the Silver Birch at the top of South Street, Barming and I was pleased to see 12x Greenfinch in the Field Maples at the back of my garden - where they'vr been the last few months I don't know! The afternoon was spent sledging and building a 'snow folly' - didn't get time to put the roof on it! Don't think the local football team will appreciate it when it's still on the centre circle in 5 weeks time!