Showing posts with label Goosander (Mergus merganser). Show all posts
Showing posts with label Goosander (Mergus merganser). Show all posts

Monday, 13 February 2012

More Sawbills

Mr and Mrs Goosander

Male Goosander

Female Goosander

Male Goosander

Female Goosander

Redhead Smew

Redhead Smew with Male Goosander

A few more digiscoped efforts of the Sawbills present at Deeping High Bank, Lincolnshire on Friday. The flock of Goosander peaked at 70 on Saturday, but with the milder weather now setting in most of these birds have moved on, leaving `only` 20 or so. The Redhead Smew was present on Friday, but was not seen Saturday or yesterday, so has perhaps moved off with the Goosander. Who knows?

Wednesday, 8 February 2012

Goosanders galore







The cold weather we are experiencing in the U.K. is causing a build up of water birds on the stretch of the River Welland known as Deeping High Bank. Clear water is at a premium and this means that the birds tend to be grouped together in fairly large flocks. Yesterday, there was a flock of 33 Goosander ( I believe our American friends call this bird the Common Merganser, forgive me if I am incorrect in this ), today this flock had grown to 41.

With the cold snap forecast to continue for a while more birds may appear, one can hope.

Friday, 7 January 2011

Goosanders

This flock of 29 Goosander was present at Cuckoo`s Hollow in Werrington today, quite a feat considering the size of the body of water. This species breeds in Britain, mostly in Scotland, northern England and Wales with 2,600 pairs being present. In winter this number increases to around 8,900 birds,some of which migrate from north-east Europe and Russia. Outside the breeding season you often find Goosanders in small groups mostly on freshwater lakes, old gravel workings and reservoirs, but this area in Werrington is very small, but they were certainly feeding well and seemed quite content.


Two females standing on a frozen part of the pond, something you don`t often see.


Female preening


Two males and a female


A pair


Another pair


A hand held shot of part of the flock just to show the size of pond ( I was standing on one bank, you can see the other)
All other photo`s were digiscoped using Lumix FS15 and Kowa TSN-883 x30