Waterfowl

The scaup has been frequenting Par Harbour and bay for much of the winter, with a female, and coming to Par Beach Pool fairly regularly in the late afternoon for a clean and preen.

The goosander spent some time in late 2010 on St Andrew's Pool, and in early February 2011 there were 13 redhead goosander on the pool.

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The female goosander was present on St Andrews Pool at Par for much of December 2010, and the male flew over Par Beach Pool on the 19th December 2010, the same day as we found the bittern.

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These 4 juvenile bar-headed geese were back on Par Beach Pool on Christmas morning 2010, the first time I had seen them there since September

 

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This pair of barnacle geese turned up sometimes with the Canada geese at Par Beach Pool

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The bar headed goose has been a regular at Par Beach Pool for the last 18 months at least, in company with a large flock of Canada Geese that often fly in over the new house each morning. A feral bird that has escaped from a collection somewhere, these birds are famed for migrating from China down to India and flying over the Himalayas. The pale bellied brent geese are also regulars on the sea in Par Bay, but the sixteen birds that turned up in September 2010 were deemed by locals to be both early, and unusual, in that is generally the dark bellied form that arrive first. 

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This lovely duck has prompted me to start putting up some of my duck pictures. Over the coming weeks, I will build a proper waterfowl section for the site. This unusual widgeon was found at Stithians Reservoir, just up the road from home.

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