So after leaving Pagham my first stop was just in Hampshire on the border with West Sussex in the village of Warblington. I was here for the Cattle Egret and after not being able to find them in the fields opposite the farm, I saw some cattle in a field closer to the round-a-bout. I walked up to the gate and could see five feeding around the cattle.
From Warblington I was off to a new location, a group of lakes on Milton Common. This was on the western side of Langstone Harbour. I drove to the end of Moorings way and then walked the short distance to Swan Lake. I found the Greater Scaup at the first viewing area. There were three present, two females and a first winter male. All three had their heads under their wings, but this female woke up.
Larger than the Lesser Scaup and Tufted Duck, it is the larger of the Aythya duck. It is a diving duck and more maritime than the Lesser Scaup.
Like the female Tufted Duck, the female Greater Scaup is a rufous brown and has a white patch at the base of the bill like the Tufted Duck, but in the Greater Scaup the white patch is larger and more pronounced.
The first winter male was showing signs of acquiring the breeding plumage, grey speckled upper parts and the black head.
Waking up the male had something to say.
Moving around with the two females.
Whilst it swam off with them it returned to a roost position but continued to paddle to keep up.
I left the scaup, they looked settled and will probably be around for awhile and hopefully the male will look quite smart.
I set off for Bridge Street and Posbrook Floods. From the car park I walked along the canal path and quickly found the Glossy Ibis, only two were present and they showed briefly and did not allow any pictures. There was another duck I was after. I originally turned up on Normandy Lagoon at the weekend, but then relocated to Brownich Pond yesterday. It had been reported today so I drove the short distance to the car park and Chilling Barn and set off along the footpath to the pond.
The area of the field close to the car park was quite muddy and there were several Pied Wagtail feeding around the puddles and also a nice Grey Wagtail.
On reaching th epond there are only a few places you can view the water. I stopped at the first place and scanned the water. The Ferruginous Duck, a drake stood out amongst the Tufted Duck, the obvious feature was the white flank at the back of the tail.
Another feature is the peaked crown and white eye. The colouring on the flanks and head give the duck its name, while the back is a darker brown. The duck appeared to be displaying to the Tufted Ducks, lifting the head in the familiar displays of ducks.
It followed the Tufted Ducks across the pond, getting further and further away.
Just after Christmas Ian and I had come here to see a drake Goosander, it was still here, preening on the far side of the pond.
I moved around to the weir and eventually the Ferruginous Duck came out following the Tufted Duck once again.
After some preening there was the obligatory wing flap.
The duck was my fifth Aythya diving duck of the year, there are twelve species around the world, with the Western Palearctic having five of them, other familiar species are the Canvasback, Redhead and Ring-necked Duck, all found in North America, but are also vagrants to the Western Palearctic. Other members are found in Asia and Australasia.
Walking back to the car a Great Spotted woodpecker was quite vocal in the bare trees along the footpath.
A great day, catching up on some difficult year ticks. Am I year listing? I am not sure yet, I always keep a list, but have never been completely focused on the task, not sure if I will this year, but I am off to a good start.
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