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Tuesday 19 March 2019

Out For A Duck (or two) - on Wednesday 27th February, 2019

Firstly, my apologies for my lack of visits to websites that I follow. I have been away for just over a week, visiting the Isles of Scilly. I will try and catch up with your blogs over the next couple of days or so. There will be a post on this visit at a later date. Herewith a post that I wrote before going away.

Wednesday 27th February was in my diary as attending a pre-season Osprey Volunteers' meeting at Rutland Water in the early evening. I made up my mind, therefore, to set off after an early lunch and get in some birdwatching at Rutland Water beforehand.

However, I also had a couple of reasons for wanting to visit a reservoir more local to my home, one of which was to seek out a Wood Duck that had been seen there.

This particular day was forecast to be exceptionally good weather, with a few days of fairly grim weather following close behind it. I decided, therefore, to kill (no, I won't use that expression). I decided, therefore, to achieve as many objectives as possible that day, and set off for the local reservoir after an early breakfast.

I think that every man and his dog (literally) had also decided that this would be the last decent weather for a while and headed for the same destination. The car park, and parking spaces on the adjacent road were all fully occupied. Fortunately, I'd gone in my tiny Smart car, and squeezed into a space that no other vehicle would fit into.

I decided on an anticlockwise walk round the entire perimeter of the reservoir. As I crossed the dam, there were Pied Wagtails beside the dam wall.

Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii) (male) - a local reservoir
There were plenty of Teal around, but none were close. This shot was taken from up high on a bank.

Teal (Anas crecca) (male) - a local reservoir
I'd got five sixths of the way round the reservoir before I spotted the Wood Duck. I make no bones about it - this is, with little doubt, a bird that is an escapee and many birders would shun it as 'non-countable'. However, for me, it was a delight to see. It was quite distant, and preening before having a nap. I suspect that this was its regular resting place as there was a bit of a worn track leading through the long grass to the water's edge. However, I was not going to depart from the path (as I suspect others had done) and risk disturbing it. Here are a few shots of it. Although the light was bright, it was not in a position where it displayed the full sheen on its wonderful plumage. The second image surprised me a little in that it shows just how narrow this duck's head is.




Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) (male) - a local reservoir
I'd now spent significantly longer here than intended and, having phoned Lindsay to say I'd be late for lunch (again!), I set off homeward.

After a quick lunch, and having made myself a picnic tea, I set off for Rutland Water. I took the old 'owling route' and, sadly, not a single owl was seen.

On arrival, I first called at Plover Hide, where little of photographic interest was seen. Next was Bittern Hide, and here I was entertained by a Little Grebe amongst the reeds in the shallow waters close to the hide.  My first shots were with it in full sun, against dark water, and I'm rather pleased with the effect.

Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) - Rutland Water, Egleton Reserve
It was fishing, but had moved into the shadow of the hide. I was somewhat astounded at the size of the fish it caught - and swallowed whole!




Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) - Rutland Water, Egleton Reserve
It caught two of about the same size before heading off into the distance. I suspect that it had taken enough to keep it nourished for a while!

Calling in at the usually productive Shoveler Hide, which was quite busy with people, There seemed to be little happening, so I continued on to to Buzzard Hide. Here there were a few pleasant photo opportunities.

A pair of Gadwall passed by at a distance, looking handsome.

Gadwall (Mareca strepera) (female + male) - Rutland Water, Egleton Reserve
A drake Goldeneye was even more distant and I didn't manage to catch it flipping its head back.

Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) (male) - Rutland Water, Egleton Reserve
A drake Shoveler was far more cooperative, passing close by and showing of its glorious plumage.

Shoveler (Anas clypeata) (male) - Rutland Water, Egleton Reserve
If I see any bird flying by, it is usual for me to try and take a photo of it, as I consider it good practice for when I really want to capture an image of something special passing by. Often these practice shots are consigned to the bin. However, sometimes I get one that I want to hang on to- even if it is a common bird. It's easy to forget just how magnificent a bird a Mute Swan is!

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) - Rutland Water, Egleton Reserve
From here, I moved on to Smew Hide where I found myself unable to see a thing as I was looking directly into a bright low sun on flat water. I then continued to Crake hide in the hope of catching up with the Jack Snipe. However, the water level was way above what it was when I was last there and I came to the conclusion that, without any muddy margins, a sighting was unlikely.

My next stop was at Sandpiper hide on Lagoon 4. Here there were a couple of gentlemen already installed when I arrived. They pointed out a couple of redhead Smew in the distance. I watched and waited patiently for a while as they were joined by a drake and another redhead. However, they soon headed off north.

I then moved on to Dunlin Hide and immediately spotted several Smew at reasonably close quarters. I was just sorting out what was where when ex-Rutland Water boss, and continuing head of Birdfair, Tim Appleton, and a companion arrived. Between us, we counted 12 Smew (4 drakes + 8 redheads). However, I am relatively confident that the four seen five minutes earlier from Dunlin hide weren't in that count, and so there were possibly/probably 16 Smew present on Lagoon 4.

I don't suppose that many shots of four drake Smew have been taken at Rutland Water or anywhere in the county, for that matter!

Smew (Mergellus albellus) (male) - Rutland Water, Egleton Reserve
There will now follow a bit of a 'Smew-fest'. I have never had views like this of this species before, and it is unlikely that I ever will again! 

Any previous sightings I've had have all been of birds 'drifting around' on the water. One thing I did notice this time is what tremendously powerful swimmers they are. When they really want to motor, it seems that they sink lower into the water and carve a deep furrow - this seems to defy logic, as you'd think that skimming the water was more efficient.


Smew (Mergellus albellus) (male) - Rutland Water, Egleton Reserve
 There was the occasional 'head back' display by the males.


Smew (Mergellus albellus) (male) - Rutland Water, Egleton Reserve
Whilst things were calm for most of the time I was watching, there was the occasional altercation - probably testosterone-fuelled!




Smew (Mergellus albellus) (male) - Rutland Water, Egleton Reserve
Most of the time, things were peaceful, however.

I must confess that I mainly concentrated on the males. In an effort to address this imbalance, here are a few shots including or featuring female Smew.

Smew (Mergellus albellus) (male + female) - Rutland Water, Egleton Reserve


Smew (Mergellus albellus) (female) - Rutland Water, Egleton Reserve
Here are a few shots of drakes, when there was not too much contention going on.







Smew (Mergellus albellus) (male) - Rutland Water, Egleton Reserve
Sadly, I had to depart to give myself time to walk back to my car and eat my picnic tea before the meeting. On departing the hide I called out to the gentlemen in Sandpiper hide to alert them to the Smew at Dunlin Hide. On my way back Tim Appleton stopped to tell me he'd felt the need to rush home to get his camera to photograph the Smew.

When looking at my photos afterwards, I was absolutely astounded to see that the time that had elpsed between my first and last Smew photo was a mere three and a half minutes! It seemed very much longer.

It was an informative meeting that evening, and it was good to meet the new members of the team who will be looking after various aspects of the Osprey Project this season.

Nothing of interest was seen on my way home, but it had been a very rewarding and enjoyable day.

I suspect that my next post will feature my visit to The Isles of Scilly.

Thank you for dropping by.

32 comments:

  1. What a stunning set of images Richard. The Smew shots in particular being nothing short of outstanding.

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    1. Thank you, Marc. I don't suppose I'll ever get an opportunity like that with Smew again! Best wishes - - - Richard

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  2. Beautiful water birds, and Richard, I love the Smew, superb.

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    1. Thank you, Bob. I was lucky that it was late afternoon and there was a nice warm quality to the light for the Smew. They're beautiful ducks! My best wishes - - - Richard

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  3. Welcome back, Richard. Great series of waterfowl images; the most appealing to me are of the Smews. What a delightful little duck! I still have yet to see an adult male, but when I might be able to is another matter entirely. As you say the Wood Duck was almost certainly an escape from a wildfowl collection but it is a spectacular bird isn't it? Was it banded, or did it seem unusually unwary? Sometimes (at least here) if captive birds escape the owners post the news on various web sites so the issue of provenance gets resolved quite quickly. Will look forward to reading about your Scilly (or is that silly?) adventures.

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    1. Thank you, David - it's good to be home again!

      We're lucky in that we get a few Smew locally most years, but this year has been exceptionally good. If you visited in winter, I could not guarantee to be able to show you one. They are, however, a rather special duck to me too.

      I didn't see the legs of the Wood Duck fully, but it didn't look as if it had been banded. It was at a considerable distance, so I have no idea as to whether it was relatively confiding. If it had been anything other than an escapee, it would have been reported as this location is extremely well-monitored.

      It might be a while before I'm ready to publish anything on my Scilly Sojourn. I took many photos, and I've got rsather a lot of other things on my plate at the moment.

      My love to you and Miriam - - Richard

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  4. Thank you for this. I have never seen a Smew but I think the best is the Grebe fishing. Great shots as always.

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    1. Thank you, Adrian. I'm not surprised that you've not seen a Smew. We don't get a lot of them in UK. I was rather pleased to get the grebe fishing. I've never seen a Little Grebe catch a fish and was amazed by the size of the fish it was taking. Best wishes - - - Richard

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  5. All beautiful images but I have to say i was very impressed with the Smew.

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    1. Thank you, Margaret. The Smew were very special for me too! Best wishes - - - Richard

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  6. Some stunning photos. Love the Wood Duck- I've seen a couple of escapees over the years + always a delight. Rutland WaTer must be the best place in the country to see Smew at the moment- they really have declined as a winter visitor. Can't remember the last time I saw 4 males. so far this year have connected with 2 redheads- one in Lee Valley, London + one at Snettisham, Norfolk.

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    1. I'm fairly new to birdwatching, having only started when I retired 13 years ago, so I have had few encounters with Smew, but I always get excited when I see them. Yes, Rutland Water is the place to see them at the moment - 14 reported from there today!

      Thank you for your visit. Best wishes - - - Richard

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  7. Fabulous, I have never heard of a Smew let alone seen one, the males are quite spectacular, so glad you got these photos so we get a chance to see them as well. The Wood duck is also beautiful and I love the reflection shots of the Little Grebe and its catch of the day.

    I hope that all is well, best wishes to you both Diane

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    1. Thank you for those kind words, Diane - it threw me for a moment that you are now 'commenting' as Diane S, rather than Rhodesia.

      All is fine here, thank you, after our return from the Isles of Scilly. Just got a lot of catching up to do and a huge stack of photos to process.

      My very best wishes to you both - - - Richard

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  8. You certainly made good use of your pre-meeting time! Outstanding photographs. I totally agree with your concept of taking shots of birds-in-flight whenever such an opportunity arises. In my case, I REALLY need the practice!

    As others have noted, your series of the Smew is awesome! A species I've not yet observed.

    Escape or not, the Wood Duck is handsome. In our area, they are common in the wild and it is quite a challenge to obtain a decent photograph as they are very wary. And fast fliers!

    Gini and I just returned from a very nice vacation and I'm busy processing over 500 images. In the meantime, I must post part 2 of our day trip last month to Merritt Island. More coffee will be needed.

    We hope you and Lindsay are both well and that the upcoming weekend will be peaceful and filled with birds.

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    1. Hi Wally. From what I've seen, I'm sure your need for practice is not as great as mine!

      I had to smile when I read how busy you are with over 500 images. I came back from the Isles of Scilly having taken well over 4,000 frames. This is not a measure of how good the photo opportunities were, but a reflection on the fact that we had virtually constant high winds of between 35 and 60 mph and I was blowing around so much that I took a huge amount of frames in the hope of getting a 'steady' one. On a few occasions I was concerned about the risk of getting blown off the cliffs. We had a great time there, nevertheless.

      Thank you for your kind words. My very best wishes to you and Gini - - - Richard

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  9. Hi Richard! Oh, how wonderful birds! Hopefully these birds will come here soon!!

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    1. Hi Anne. I would be more than happy if the Smew decided to stay with us, but I expect that your wish will come true and they will be heading your way soon! With my very best wishes - get well soon - - - Richard

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  10. Outstanding post Richard,superb photography.

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    1. Thank you, John. It's been a long while since we've had a blog post from you. Thought of you when I was down in Cornwall last week. I hope that all is well with you both. With my very best wishes - - - Richard

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  11. Those Smews are realy a Delight to see Richard. I also enjoyed the other photos of the waterbirds they are realy nice. And as you can see I am also not that acurate in responding to blogs so do not feel bad about it. In the end I Always come to see the beautyful things you and other bloggers managed to capture. Hope your week was wonderful.
    Regards,
    Roos

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    1. Thank you, Roos, it is always a great pleasure to hear from you. I am not getting out much at the moment as I am still only half way through processing all the photos I took on the Isles of Scilly, and I have been back a week now! I really should take less photos!

      With my very best wishes. Take good care - - - Richard

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  12. Hello Richard
    can only join the others, first-class pictures and of course the pictures of Smew, never seen before and never knew that they exist ;-))
    great post
    Greetings Frank

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    1. Thank you, Frank, for your very kind words. For me, the Smew is a very special duck, and I don't see them very often at all! I hope that spring has arrived in your neck of the woods and that you get many more wonderful photo opportunities. Take good care - - - Richard

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  13. Teal (Anas crecca) (male) looks so cute...
    have a great day

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    1. Thank you, Tanza. Have a good one yourself! Best wishes - - - Richard

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  14. Fantástico reportaje, las fotos de Mergellus albellus son extraordinarias, las mejores que he visto en mi vida. Enhorabuena Richard por este excelente trabajo, un fuerte abrazo desde España.

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    1. Gracias Germán. Fue un gran placer ver a tantos de estos maravillosos patos, y un privilegio poder fotografiarlos. ¡Espero que su clima sea mejor que el nuestro, donde tenemos una primavera 'rota'! Mis mejores deseos - - - Richard

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  15. Hello Richard,

    I am very late in responding but I am still busy doing odd jobs and relocating our daughter.
    Your photo series is again very beautiful and beautiful with the many different ducks.
    The small Merganser or nun is really great. I enjoyed it immensely :-)

    Cordial greetings,. Helma

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    1. I sounds as if it is a major job relocating your daughter, Helma, but I guess it will be much easier for you when it is all finished than it was before the move. I hope it is all finished soon and that we will soon be treated to more of you fabulous nature photos.

      My very best wishes - - - Richard

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    2. We had to move 2x and that was pretty tough. Since yesterday (read Sunday) it is finally ready and we get some peace again ;-)

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    3. I'm delighted to hear that the move has been completed, Helma. It is time to put your feet up and relax!

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