Ruff at Martin Mere

January 4, 2011:
Most of the open water here was still frozen over today so that the teeming mass of overwintering wildfowl, which included many Whooper Swans, was congregated on and close to the remaining areas of open water. Waders were very scarce but a small flock of Ruff fed along a muddy bank at the edge of one of the pools.




The white bill-base suggests that this is an adult male. Its winter plumage is in marked contrast to that of the summer.