1st winter Grey(/Red) Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius
Devizes, Wiltshire October 2005

Storm-blown birds often appear inland on large reservoirs, but they don’t often appear on duck-ponds in the middle of a small town in Wiltshire. Look what was found swimming around the Canada Geese and ducks in Devizes two days ago…

I normally see these birds bobbing around on the sea in a gale, and it was just great to photograph one swimming around so closely without a care in the world. And the light was incredible - low, and harsh, it created some beautiful patterns as the phalarope swivelled and turned.on the viscous pondwater…

All photographs © Charlie Moores