Good old reliable 23D8

With the wind still too gusty for much, all I could manage was a quick walk round the boating lake at Helston yesterday whilst putting off Christmas shopping. Ignoring the temptation of some very catchable Coot and Tufted Duck, the only ringed bird there was the regular 23D8.

Ringed as a chick in Berkshire in 2011, 23D8 spent its first winter on the boating lake in Helston before being seen back in Berkshire in June 2012. It then got into a pattern, being seen on the Camel estuary in early October before moving on to Helston in late October. Last seen at Helston on 1st March, 12 days later it was back in Berkshire for the summer. It made an equally sharp exit, last seen in Berkshire on 2nd July and then again on the Camel estuary 20 days later, before returning to Helston in late October.

I've now seen it several times at the boating lake, so it'll be interesting to see if it's here again all winter. So if you're passing, drop in and have a look for 23D8 and don't forget to report it!