Description


A diary of my birding activity covering highlights and photos from my birding adventures. Mainly Norfolk (UK), occasionally beyond. I might mention the odd thing that isn't avian, but for moth and other insect news check out my mothing diary.

Wednesday, 20 January 2021

Review of 2019 and 2020 - Birds: Ducks

DUCKS, GEESE and SWANS (family ANATIDAE) (continued)


Mandarin Aix galericulata - 3 at Santon Downham on 23rd February 2019.


Shoveler Spatula clypeata - Very occasionally seen from the meadows including 3 over in January 2019.


Shoveler x Gadwall hybrid Spatula clypeata x Mareca strepera - On the way home from a family visit to the Lakes I stopped off at Nosterfield in Yorkshire to see this gorgeous hybrid on 31st December 2019.  It was a bit distant for photos, so you'll have to trust me when I say it was one of the finest birds I saw all year.

Gadwall x Shoveler hybrid, Nosterfield LNR, 31st December 2019



Gadwall Mareca strepera - Occasionally seen from the meadows including a flock of 6 over on 25th August 2019.


Wigeon Mareca penelope - Heard flying over the garden on 29th October 2019.  Also heard over the meadows on a couple of occasions but rarely seen from here despite the presence of a flock of 15 on my only visit to the park lake in October 2019.


Mallard Anas platyrhynchos - Regularly seen at the meadows, or rather from the meadows.  A count of 100 at Ryburgh on 4th October 2019.

Mallard, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th April 2020


Mallard x Rosybill hybrid Anas platyrhynchos x Netta peposaca - As regular readers will know, I can't resist a good hybrid so knowing there had recently been a couple of Mallard x Rosybill hybrids at Lackford Lakes I took an opportunity to see if they were still there.  Well there was no sign of them on the lake they had been reported fron but I continued round the lakes and eventually managed to locate them.  Two males, and what utterly splendid birds they were too...



Mallard x Rosybill hybrids, Lackford Lakes, 23rd February 2019



Pintail Anas acuta - Seen at the coast but no noteworthy records in 2019-20.


Teal Anas crecca - A flock of 158 seen distantly from the meadows in flight on 26th January 2019,  possibly having been disturbed from the park lake during shooting.  Also often seen in the flooded field at the bottom of the lane, including about 150 flushed from here on 29th November 2019 and 83 flushed from further downstream by a Marsh Harrier on 28th December 2020.

Teal, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 28th December 2020



Teal x Yellow-billed Teal Anas crecca x Anas flavirostris - One in captivity, a rare hybrid that I've not come across before.

captive Teal x Yellow-billed Teal hybrid, Blakeney Collection, 16th October 2020



Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina  - Two males at Titchwell on 1st June 2019.


Rosybill Netta peposaca - Only captive birds, but including an unfamiliar (to me) plumage.

captive Rosybill, Blakeney Collection, 16th October 2020


Pochard Aythya ferina - One on the park lake in October 2019 and January 2020.  The lake is private but a small part of it is just visible in winter from the chapel ruins (which are inside the Cathedral Meadows recording area)


Pochard x Ferruginous Duck Aythya ferina x Aythya nyroca - A female with Pochards at Llobregat Delta in Spain on 22nd February 2020.


Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula - Sometimes seen on the park lake distantly from the chapel (which is inside the meadows recording area).  Surprising that I've not yet managed to see this species from the meadows any other way.


Scaup Aythya marila - One at Nosterfield (Yorkshire) on 31st December 2019.


Eider Somateria mollissima - The only noteworthy record was 70 past Sheringham on 21st October 2019.

Eider, Sheringham, 21st October 2019



Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca - One past Sheringham on 21st October 2019.


Common Scoter Melanitta nigra - 160 past Sheringham on 21st October 2019.

Common Scoter, Pendeen, 5th October 2020



Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis -One past Sheringham on 21st October and one at Cley on 12th November 2019.

Long-tailed Duck, Cley, 12th November 2019



Goldeneye Bucephala clangula - Small numbers recorded at several sites in 2019, mostly during the 2-3 times I left the county.

Goldeneye, Lackford Lakes, 23rd February 2019



Smew Mergellus albellus - One at Nosterfield (Yorkshire) on 31st December 2019.


Goosander Mergellus merganser - One at Rydal Water (Cumbria) during a visit to family in December 2019.


Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator - A few records but none significant.


Next page: Swifts, Cuckoos, Doves and Pigeons, Rails and Coots, and Grebes

Or return to Birds index

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