Cheddar reservoir in Somerset has returned to full capacity following weeks of heavy rainfall, with the replenished waters now hosting a significant and varied influx of birdlife, as stated by The Guardian.
Among the thousands of coots, hundreds of gulls and ducks, and dozens of great crested grebes crowding the surface, many birds are feeding almost constantly to build energy reserves for the breeding season, with some already moulting into breeding plumage.
The assemblage includes less familiar visitors: a flock of scaup, whose males are bulkier than nearby tufted ducks and have pale grey backs, and flocks of goosanders that dive frequently for food, the colourful males resembling a cormorant in extravagant drag.
Observers have also recorded the presence of a red-necked grebe, the scarcest member of its family in Britain, which was spotted after initial false alarms where birds turned to reveal bright white necks. The red-necked grebe superficially resembles a smaller, darker great crested grebe.
The individual that surfaced just offshore showed a dark face and neck and a yellow base to the bill, confirming its identity. However, photographs later suggested the bird might belong to the American race, which could one day be classified as a separate species from its European counterpart.
Despite this taxonomic uncertainty, the attractive and unexpected visitor has provided a notable sighting close to home amid the reservoir’s revived conditions.
