Red Crested Pochard in North wales (1 Viewer)

[Joobee]

Visited the local pond with the kids today..and we spotted a duck we had not seen before! It had a bright red bill, and the orangey feathers on his head looked like it had been blow dried! It also had red eyes. But its body didn't look too different to the other ducks.(mostly mallards)
It was really pretty. My son and i spent time online today looking at dozens of pictures of ducks to try and identify it. We think it was a Red Crested Pochard. Is this likely here in North Wales??

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Hi Joobee,

Red-crested Pochards turn up quite regularly in small numbers in various parts of Britain, often on quite small lakes and often at this time of the year so I think it's fairly likely. Your description sounds pretty much spot on for one too.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

According to Birdguides there was a drake at Brickfields Pond LNR in Rhyl on 30th June. Maybe that was where you were today?

 

[Joobee]

According to Birdguides there was a drake at Brickfields Pond LNR in Rhyl on 30th June. Maybe that was where you were today?

Yes Andrew! Thats where we were! He must have come to Sunny Rhyl for his Holidays!! He really is a very pretty fellow!
Thanks for your replies!

 

[Joobee]

I went back to the pond today...he is still there. I tried to take a photo..but he must be camera shy..he hid amoungst the bushes!
When we 1st saw this duck last Monday, because it was new to us, we looked up pictures on line to try and find out what it was. When i went back today, it doesn't actually look exactly like the pics of Red Breasted Pochards we found. His beak is red, as are his eyes, but his head is not as orange as the pics, (although it is orangish and fluffy looking!!) Also his body has more brown, no white areas.
Is it likely to be a crossbreed? Does that Happen?

 

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Joobee,

That means he's moulting - all male ducks moult out their brightly coloured breeding plumage at the end of the breeding season (i.e., about now) and become dull-coloured like the females for the next 2-4 months, while they are growing new wing feathers and can't fly well (if at all). This is known as the 'eclipse' plumage in ducks.

When drakes are in eclipse, usually the only way you can tell them from ducks (females) of the same species, is that the sex difference in the bill colour is still visible (his bill won't turn from red to brown)

Michael

 

[Joobee]

Thank you Michael. I'm completely new to this! My kids and I have quite taken to this Duck!
My kids have named him 'Bill' !

 

[Viv]

Thank you Michael. I'm completely new to this! My kids and I have quite taken to this Duck!
My kids have named him 'Bill' !

there are several resident pairs at Hanningfield reservoir in Essex - we always make sure we see them when we are there

 

[Nightranger]

Visited the local pond with the kids today..and we spotted a duck we had not seen before! It had a bright red bill, and the orangey feathers on his head looked like it had been blow dried! It also had red eyes. But its body didn't look too different to the other ducks.(mostly mallards)
It was really pretty. My son and i spent time online today looking at dozens of pictures of ducks to try and identify it. We think it was a Red Crested Pochard. Is this likely here in North Wales??

I remember seeing two females at Malltraeth in the late 80s but I am led to believe that all r-c ps are dodgy. Oh well, we can dream!

 

[Michael Frankis]

I remember seeing two females at Malltraeth in the late 80s but I am led to believe that all r-c ps are dodgy. Oh well, we can dream!

Hi Ian,

I always tick them on the grounds that they're Category C5 Vagrant naturalised species Species from established naturalised populations abroad. There are fair-sized naturalised populations in Germany (several hundred pairs) & the Netherlands (in Germany at least, part-mixed with genuine wild populations), and that's where I reckon most of ours come from.

Michael

 

[Nightranger]

Hi Ian,

I always tick them on the grounds that they're Category C5 Vagrant naturalised species Species from established naturalised populations abroad. There are fair-sized naturalised populations in Germany (several hundred pairs) & the Netherlands (in Germany at least, part-mixed with genuine wild populations), and that's where I reckon most of ours come from.

Michael

Good point! I wonder how many other 'European' species have naturalised because of the same disturbance in southern Germany that has seen 'continental' cormorants become established in the UK. It is difficult to believe that cormorants would be the only birds to have made the change.

 

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Ian,

The Cormorants are a different situation, they've re-colonised southeast England after having been shot out 250 years or so ago; they used to breed extensively in inland Britain. I can't think of any other close equivalents to the RCPoch situation, unless Ruddy Shelduck perhaps, though from what I've read, there aren't any truly established feral populations of that in northern Europe.

The next candidate might perhaps be Sacred Ibis from the growing feral population in western France.

Michael