Duck Days and Triplets...

 

I had not planned a triplet of posts today, but it seems the Universe had other plans ahead of my rescheduled trip out to the patch, hopefully some time tomorrow... and it seems it is to be manifested as another retrospective, this time, on ducks - not just your 'everyday ducks' however, oh no, but those that turn up irregularly or as one-offs and hence are always valuable year to ticks! 

I though I'd start the same way as I did earlier with the past glory of Moore's gull days with the species reported most often - Smew. Now, I have to point out of course that the numbers that follow are number of records and NOT (alas!) number of birds, but hopefully, you'll get the picture... so, without further ado, let us begin with...

Smew

This is by far the most reported 'non-everyday patch duck' on Birdguides, and by a mile with 52 records since 2002. However, a deeper dive of the records (there's a pun in there somewhere...) shows that most refer to a long staying single redhead (51 records), that many enjoyed (myself included) when it took up residence from 2nd Dec 2012 - 18th Mar 2013 on Birchwood Pool. 

There are some smashing photos of the actual bird by Phil Wooten here; https://wirralbirders.blogspot.com/2013/02/redhead.html

It seemed to like the west end of the pool most and apart from a single foray to the Eastern Reedbed on 5th Dec, seemed quite settled. Of course the ERB bird could have been a second redhead... but who's to know. Either hoo, the only other Smew record submitted to Birdguides from the reserve was another redhead, on 7th November last year, seen with Tufted Duck on the Angler's Pool opposite Big Hand Ranch. I wonder if it's still there? NTS: go check tomorrow! I have to admit some disappointment on reviewing what looked like a promising series of records. I had thought Smew sightings were commoner, but then again, during my fervent patch years I only got the one!

Garganey

There were 10 times fewer Garganey records from the reserve than Smew, but they represented far more birds and a greater number of distinct visits. The first record from the reserve was a drake on the morning of 10th May 2008 on the ERB, with another three birds reported joining it by midday and 4 still remains the highest single count at the reserve. I found a female on Pumphouse Pool on August 19th 2010 which stayed until 23rd and was reported a few times during that period. The final record comes from April 4th 2014 when 2 drakes were seen on the ERB... and that's it. I suspect they're under reported and will certainly be keeping my eyes peeled during spring migration. Strange though how it's been 8 years since a report of one on the patch...

Goosander

Goosander are not an easy patch bird. There are just 2 records from the reserve according to Birdguides (although I suspect more are in local notebooks...). A female was reported 12th Feb 2003, but doesn't say whereabouts on the reserve. Judging from the pin on the map, it could have been on the Manchester Ship Canal, but equally that could be a generic 'Moore' pin. The second record was of a drake on the Mersey to the east of the ERB on 16th Mar 2009. I wonder if that was MY record?? Pause to check... yep, I have Goosander down as a patch year tick for 2009... so probably was me - doh! And those two are it! NTS: check the river too tomorrow!

Singles...

That leaves us with 7 species for which there are but 1-2 records of single, usually short-staying birds. They are as follows;

Ruddy Shelduck - 30th Sep-1st Oct 2007 on Birchwood Pool

Red-crested Pochard (f) - 9th Sep 2002 on Birchwood Pool

Ring-necked Duck (f) - 12th Jan - 17th Jan 2008 on Pumphouse Pool

Mandarin Duck (m) - 5th Apr 2003, no location given

Ferruginous Duck (m) - 15th May 2003 on Manchester Ship Canal opposite HWH

Greater Scaup (m) - 29th Oct - 31st Oct 2007 on Pumphouse Pool

Common Scoter (1w m) - 18th Feb - 29th Mar 2011 on Manchester Ship Canal

...and that my friends is that... today's final instalment. I'll let you know what I find on my day off tomorrow...