I had a fun visit with eleven BOC members, during which we saw some nice birds with a total of over 50 species. Sheila Ablitt spotted an adult drake Red-crested Pochard close to the boat quay by the Lodge, and we saw the adult female, found the day before, off the east end of Green Lawn as well. As we headed along the south side of the lake we spotted a Black-necked Grebe off Rugmoor Point, a group of Common Goldeneye between Rainbow and Rugmoor Points and a juvenile Greater Scaup in Wood Bay, where there was also an adult drake Ferruginous x Common Pochard hybrid. At Top End we found two Dunlin, four plus Little Egrets, two Great White Egrets and ten Bewick’s Swans. I noted that one of the adults had a darvic ring ‘white BCL’, and looking through my database, found out it was a cob named ‘Winkey’. He has been coming to the lake since 2003, first with partner ‘Tinkie’ and latterly with new mate ‘Winker’. Those were the highlights, but there were something like 5000 water birds on the lake which made for a great day’s birding. During the walk we spotted a late Migrant Hawker still on the wing; my latest record at the lake in the past is 12 November 2011. (Many thanks for leading, Nigel.) Nigel Milbourne