An Excellent Day For Ducks

With news in that a drake Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) had arrived late yesterday afternoon at Liden Lagoon, I kept my fingers crossed that it would still be there today. Fortunately I had an hour to spare around midday and managed to have a look. Its presence was certainly not evident as I walked around, and it wasn't until I was on the home straight that I located it up against the boom that joins the 2 islands.

A drake Pintail between the two islands

and sticking close to the boon that separates them.

Here the drake is calling, though with the noise of the traffic on the A419 it was difficult to hear him.

Here is a short Audio of what he would have been calling had I been able to hear him.

A drake Pintail calling courtesy of xeno-canto

Seems quite content to be in the centre of the Lagoon away from all the other wildfowl.

Feeding time, with Tufted Ducks, Mallard, Coots, Black-headed Gulls and can you spot the Herring Gull. Clue pink legs!

Not for the first time in the past week or so a Common Gull favouring this post in the pool. all together there were 4 Common Gulls present this lunchtime.

One of the 2 drake Pochard present today.

Good to see a Little Grebe back at the lagoon. Its been awhile since I saw one here last.

Some really good numbers of Tufted Duck at the Lagoon. This is just about half or slightly less than what was on the rest of the water.

Yep another Herring Gull.

I don't know why I like gulls so much, I guess I've been very fortunate to have seen lots of Yellow-legged Gulls and a few Caspian Gulls when I lived in Telford, Shropshire. So nowadays I'm checking every Herring Gull out. It was late last year when I had a Yellow-leg here, so there's always a chance it or another could show up again. I'm not sure why but the majority of gulls in Swindon seem to be Herring Gulls as opposed to Lesser Black-backs. In fact most Lessers I ever come across are those heading north to roost in the evening.

Here we go again another Herring Gull. Fortunately this is the same bird I saw here last week. This should really be a 2nd winter, but is in fact a 1st winter.

Birds recorded: 1 Little Grebe, 6 Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Mallard, 1 drake Pintail, Tufted Duck, 2 drake Pochard, Moorhen, Coot, 100+ Black-headed Gull, 6 Herring Gull, 4 Common Gull, Wood Pigeon, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch. Also seen Grey Squirrel