What to see …
Why you should be looking out for wildfowl this December.
MANY of us have access to a bit of freshwater, so as the poet F W Harvey almost said in his aptly named poem ‘Ducks’: from the troubles of the world, let’s turn to ducks.
There’s nothing better, actually. A typical gravel pit or reservoir, being moderately deep and probably hard edged, will be ideal for some diving ducks. Tufted Duck and Common Pochard will be most numerous, and there should be the odd Common Goldeneye.
Tufted drakes are easy: black with a white side panel and a noticeable tuft. Females are dark brown, a touch paler on the flank; some will show a whitish face mark, or dull white under the tail, but the small bump or tuft on the nape is a giveaway.
Common Pochard drakes are grey bodied, and black at both ends, with a rich browny-red head. Females are quite variable, a sort of cooked-liver brown, greyer or paler in the middle – look for the whitish face marks.
The best thing about these duck flocks is that something really good might turn up within them.
It is always satisfying to pick out a slightly heavier individual, a bit broader in the beam, fast asleep in the middle and wait: up comes a distinctive big round head, broad blue bill and large, clean white face (and maybe a pale ear patch, too). Yes – a female Greater Scaup!
Adult males seem scarcer inland, perhaps, but show up as black and white with a grey back. The rounded head – never a tuft in sight – and broad bill confirm the ID.
And next time, who knows? Maybe a Red-crested Pochard (where from?) or even a Ringnecked Duck. Like gull roosts, duck flocks have the ability to attract scarcer birds and these test your concentration, perseverance and identification skills. Just the thing to take your mind off the world outside.