A Sunday morning jolly a few miles north of Mother Hackney, with Tony, Phil and Laurence, courtesy of the latter's increasingly spluttering turquoise rust-bucket; taking in such north London wonders as Tottenham Hale shopping centre and Edmonton Ikea, KGV Reservoir was, comparitively speaking, a vision of loveliness (which is really saying something).
A stiff, cold north-westerly made the expansive surface of the reservoir more akin to Filey Bay during a north-easterly, but with clear blue skies and the sun behind us, viewing conditions were excellent. Navigating the flocks of sheep along the eastern bank, we soon (re)found the Grey Phalarope - truth be told, our reason for venturing outside the borough, having been located yesterday - which couldn't have been any more accomodating.
Feeding actively a metre or two from the shore of the south basin, the bird seemed happy enough bobbing around in the collected flotsam, occasionally fluttering short distances away from the bank and surface-padding like a tiny Jacana on several occasions; a fine little bird to see in such grotty, bleak urban environs.
Otherwise, the range of wildfowl species present was impressive, including approx 30 Goldeneye, three Goosander, plus Teal, Shoveler, Wigeon, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Gadwall and Pochard.
