1 Woodcock flushed on my walkabout plus 25 Fieldfare in a field near main car.
1st winter male Scaup still at EGP plus:
2 male Pochard
54 Tufted Duck
2 Goldeneye
7 Goosander at least
3 Little Grebe
6 Great Crested Grebe
6 Cormorant
5 Moorhen
28 Coot
3 Lesser Black-backed Gull (1 over E plus 2 on the ice (see photos)
First one of an Adult winter fuscus graellsii
Second one showing certain features I personally have not seen before, plumage almost identical to the first one, perhaps more extensive head-markings, but with an obvious lack of colour in the bill and fleshy coloured legs which presumably could indicate a 3rd winter fuscus graellsii?
Any comments from more experienced observers welcome!
12 comments:
The L B B Gull on Suday afternoon was the typical fuscus graellsii - adult with yellow legs.
Not sure about the second bird (and certainly wouldn't claim to be more experienced)!! There's always something new to learn. Possibly your comments about it being a 3rd winter are correct.
Well done with the cracking photo of the GND Dave - are they both juvs?
hi dave
we went to EGP this afternoon but failed to get the scaup. is it on the ski lake? and if so how do you get to walk around it to see the birds on it?
cheers
Daniel
Best to park in the pub car park and view from there,I allways go before 11 and after 2 to avoid loads of customers,
Unfortunately it's private for White Rose Water Skiing Club so you cannot walk round.
The rest of Cromwell Bottom LNR (Local Nature reserve) (EGP for short)has a mile or two of paths but winter wildfowl are often mostly on the private bit.
Are you the Daniel who attends CBCG meetings with your Dad? You are welcome to visit EGP with Halifax Scientific Society. Next scheduled visit is 24th Jan in conjunction with the Council's Wildside Programme. Meet 10.30 Anglers Car Park, which is by the canal behind Cromwell House.
Both divers on Scammonden are juveniles, I think the bird I photographed is the new arrival for a few reasons:
1. It was tending to follow the eastern shoreline and lingered in the NE corner which I haven't seen the other bird do in numerous visits.
2. If you scrutinize the upper mandible it appears to be slightly longer and almost hooked at the tip which the photos of the first juvenile don't.
3. I timed the length of dives of both birds and the one at the southern end surfaced after 50 seconds at most whereas the one I managed to photograph regularly dived for up to 1 minute and was much more active in general.
Regarding access to EGP there really isn't an easy way to view, a hide on the north bank wouldn't go amiss!
Re the GNDs.
I guess these are stranded after the severe storms and hurricane in the Atlantic a few weeks back. Has anyone seen one catch a fish? Are there many fish in Scammonden Res?
They may be in need of food to fuel them back to the sea.
Divers have loud voices, calling at night. Has anyone thought of going up at night and listening out? They possibly only do it in the breeding season when they're mature,though. Their North American name "Loon" is said to be because of this weird sound.
Evening Steve
There are fish in Scammonden according to the caretaker of the Sailing Club, mostly Stickleback, as at Blackmoorfoot apparently.
2 Cormorant regularly fish the water and Grey Heron breed in the trees along the western shoreline.
Having done a fair bit of research on GND's since the arrival of this juvenile they are so adept at diving and catching their prey that they are capable of swallowing small fish under water.
Getting a bit technical but the following is an extract from some material I've dug out if anyone is interested:
Food
Primarily fish up to 28 cm, but varies with locality and season, and diet can include crustaceans, molluscs, annelids, insects, and amphibia. In some breeding areas where no fish occur, crustaceans, insects, and molluscs taken instead. When searching, regularly dips bill and forehead underwater before diving silently from surface. Feet used in propulsion but, particularly in spurts and turning, also wings. Small fish swallowed under water, larger or spiny fish and crabs brought to surface and mutilated before swallowing. Though diving depths of up to 70 m quoted, based mainly on birds in fish nets, more normal depths probably 4–10 m.
Fish include haddock Melanogrammus aeglefinus, cod Gadus morhua, whiting Merlangius merlangus, herring Clupea harengus, sprat Sprattus sprattus, gurnard Eutrigla gurnardus, bull rout Myoxocephalus scorpius, sand-eel (Ammodytidae), pipefish (Syngathidae), goby (Gobiidae), flat-fish (Pleuronectidae), eel-pout Zoarces, eel Anguilla anguilla, stickleback (Gasterosteidae), trout Salmo trutta, perch Perca fluviatilis, roach Rutilus rutilus, and char Salvelinus alpinus. Crustaceans include crabs (Portunus, Carcinus), shrimps, and prawns; molluscs, razorshell (Solen), Planorbis, and small cephalopods; annelids, polychaet worms, and leeches; aquatic insects, caddisfly larvae (Trichoptera), waterboatmen (Corixidae), and dragonfly nymphs (Odonata).
Plant material occasionally found in some quantity, mainly roots, seeds, moss, and shoots of willow Salix
In 38 stomachs collected during winter in British Isles 55·3% fish, 24·0% crustaceans, 18·5% molluscs, and 2·1% unidentified materials
They seem to have a fairly catholic diet so hopefully they might hang around for a while yet as long as Scammonden remains ice- free.
I keep hoping they will turn up at EGP as that is well stocked with large fish.
cheers steve
yes it is
is it ok if i do come to that meeting on the 24th
thanks
do all the rare birds turn up on the ski lake becuase i ahve been able to find any before?
No, not at all, a black-throated diver was on the river Calder there for a few days one time.
Also a Spotted Sandpiper on Brookfoot Loop once drew twitchers from all over.
And a bittern stayed a while at the Fishing Club's Lake.
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