First of all Happy New Year, to one and all, well on this first day of 2013, I woke up to a full moon in the sky, followed by brilliant Sunshine, what could anyone more ask for, so donning my boots grabbing my Camera, off I trott to Netherton Reservoir, what was I expecting to see well, coots, gulls, ducks and maybe if I'm lucky, a Swan, but "Oh Boy" was I surprised.

All my life I have lived and played as a child around Netherton Reservoir, many a day with my string tied empty Jam Jar and green fishing net, but never have I seen this sight.

The first thing I noticed as I approached the first bench at the top of the Reservoir, was the noise the Gulls was making and the display they was showing, my eyes was immediately drawn down by the Canal House and the opening, my eyes quickly scanned across the reservoir and there to my amazement a large bird, brown in colour on a buoy ,with wings out stretched, has if drying them off in the sun, I knew what I was seeing was special, but what was the bird.

It wasn't a Grebe, it was way too big, but it dived down like a Grebe under the water, all I could do was snap away, what was this bird doing on a Reservoir in the heart of the Black Country, what was the Bird called, would it be there tomorrow, we will have to wait and see, I will endeavour to go and see, I rushed back to look at the pictures, knowing all too well this is not the best camera for long range shots, but I tried my best with what equipement I had, so here goes with my photo's

 
I hope these pictures are enough for people to identify it, so if there are any bird people out there, please let me, what it actually is, I'm leaning towards a Cormarant, but I'm still not sure, please get in touch with me if you know, but what a New Years Day present I had and little ole Netherton Reservoir, in the heart of the West Midlands, who would have thought ;)

Have a great New Years Day

Andrea