Most folk prefer calm weather and warm temperatures but we birders often hope for the exact opposite. That’s because bad weather, especially cold stormy weather, often forces birds to seek shelter in locations where they wouldn’t normally be seen. That’s exactly what happened last week, and it brought a bird that’s usually more at home on the salty seas to Cosmeston Lakes Country Park.

This is a Red-breasted merganser (Mergus serrator), a cousin of the Goosanders that overwinter in the non-saline waters (I hesitate to use the word ‘fresh’ to describe them) of Cardiff Bay, with a similar saw-like bill structure. I’ve only seen these mergansers a couple of times before and, sadly, this bird stayed quite far out from the lake shores so I didn’t get great views, despite trying to sneak a look from every possible direction. Still, it was wonderful to see one locally.