Common Scoters in Herts

I had Sunday planned out-I was going to go up to the Ashwell area to search the dung heaps and fields for Wheatears, Wagtails and so on, and then go on to the Coombe Road/Therfield area hoping to find a Ring Ousel or two. The weekend weather looked reasonable for migrants to come in as we saw on Saturday at Amwell, but as it turned out it was sea birds that made the local news.
Early news from Tyttenhanger of a drake Common Scoter changed my plans, being a county tick (the largely inaccessible wintering bird seen occasionally at Hilfield Park was only occasionally reported so I never tried for it). The constant drizzle and murk when I arrived wasn't all that pleasant but at least it was warm. Parking as usual by the model railway club I made I way to the gate by the conveyer belt, picking up a pair of Tree Sparrows (I failed to see any here last year for some reason).
A scan of the main pit and the Common Scoter stood out although a long way off, but it slowly made its way towards my position and eventually the yellow bill could be seen in the bins through the murk. As the Hilfield bird has turned into a drake over winter I assumed it was the same bird gradually making it's way north, but I soon discovered that there had been an influx into the home counties with five birds at Stanstead Abbots, a few further down the Lea Valley on the reservoirs,  several birds at College Lake, and more in the Paxton area for example. Additionally Kittiwakes were reported at various sites, and Barry had an Arctic Skua at Amwell at 9 am.
A small flock of Swallows were feeding over the water-14 were eventually counted by the time I left with more seen later, their were several Greater Black Backed Gulls, a few Lapwings and a Redshank, plus the regular wildfowl, grebes and Herons. A circuit along the river and up the woods to the screen failed to find anything of note and it wasn't until I got to the very muddy track by the farm that I found another pair of Tree Sparrows in the usual spot near the feeders and two familiar faces scoping the pit from the high point. They pointed out the two Little Ringed Plovers-very difficult at this distance in my bins and hard to pick out on the grey muddy edges. More Lapwing were visible and eventually a pair of Oystercatchers flew in. The Scoter was still on view of course but a long way off.

I didn't have enough time left in the morning to try and get to Ashwell, and with the weather deteriorating I made my way home. Had there been anything at Norton Green I would have called in, but nothing new had been reported unfortunately, but one Common Tern was later reported at Fairlands.