Very wet and extremely windy in Bradshaw today and we had another journey to make to Wakefield, late morning.
'We' incorporated a visit to Pugney's into the day and here it was mega windy with the lake looking like the north sea in a storm.
After a bacon butty in the café here I enjoyed a leisurely walk around the water while Sue relaxed with her book in the café (noshing buns I bet ya!).
A real wellie job 'off piste' but ok on the paths around the lake.
Some vandals have set fire to the birding hide by the smaller lake and the '2nd' hide had a sign on it - closed due to vandals as well.
I took loads of photographs rather than stand about in the gale but nothing 'mega' stands out.
There are 2 Duck species that I and struggling to ID with any confidence.
I'll have another head scratching look after me tea!!
Bradshaw Fields:
Late afternoon I had a stroll up the fields but I was eventually sent home by a great big shower blown along on the gale - but it was nearly dark.
The wind kyboshed the job really but I did eventually eyeball 2 Blackbirds, a Wheatear and a Meadow Pipit.
Some Birds:-
Pugneys:
Mute Swan.
Teal?
Wigeon.
Pochard.
A Mallard Duck that looks a bit Garganey?
Great Created Grebe.
Cormorant.
Black Headed Gull.
Herring Gull.
Common Gull.
Lesser Black-backed Gull.
A Great Back-backed Gull doppelganger looks to have the right coloured legs but doesn't look like a "brute"? Nope confusing photo!
Pied Wagtail.
Mallard.
Canada Goose.
Coot.
Goldeneye.
Tufted Duck.
Shoveler.
2 Oystercatcher.
Bradshaw Fields:
2 Blackbird.
1 Meadow Pipit.
1 Wheatear.
Bradshaw Fields:-
I think there its a Herring Gull with a Lesser behind it!!
Hi your first mystery duck is a gadwall. In the field you could probably see it was too big for a teal The bright orange bill side is a giveaway, separating from eg female mallard, if wings etc not open. In the pose in the pic, you can see the big white wing patch, and even a bit of the chestnut upper forewing.
ReplyDeleteYou're right about second mystery duck. It's a fem mallard. When I started birding I would get confused by fem mallards with garganey-like face stripes. But if size can be judged Mallard is much bigger than Garganey. If you can't judge size, garganey has an all dark (grey to blackish) bill. Mallard usually has some obvious orange at least at bill-base (I think your bird has dirt on its bill), The final, v obvious Mallard feature is its thick, bright orange legs. Garganey legs are dull, (indeterminate) grey/blackish colour. Not bright orange.
Thank you very, very much Mick for taking the time out to make this long and informative comment - I found this very helpful. John.
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