Thursday 25 December 2008

Cattle Egrets & odd duck




Cattle Egret at Sandy Haven at 1pm, in the second field above the Chapel.


Cattle Egret at Philbeach at 1.15pm (& again later c.3.30pm) - definitely 2 birds! (left pic is Philbeach, right Sandy Haven - birds very similar in appearance)


Marloes Mere (from car park) - a dark female Mallard type, superficially Black Duckish, but with white in front of & behind speculum, dark cheeks, paler undertail, and largely dark bill with some orange near tip - I wonder if this is a hybrid and evidence of the Black Duck having bred last spring? Certainly a lot darker than any of the other Mallards present. Also a drake Pintail, 2 female Tufties (one Scaup-faced), a Snow Goose, 200+ Canada Geese, 15+ Gadwall, 30+ Wigeon, plenty of Teal etc.