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Anybody any good at duck identification?

24 replies

MouseUtopia · 01/02/2019 19:38

Saw some ducks at the park today. I've been trying to identify them, with no success.

They're definitely winter visitors as we've never seen them before.

Smallish, built a bit like a tufted duck, compact body. Looked quite cute.

Light grey body.

Brown cap on head. The whole head wasn't brown.

Ordinary eye colour, not like a goldeneye.

There was a flock of them, so not a hybrid. No tufty bits or obvious bright markings.

They were a bit nervous and wouldn't come out to feed whilst we were there with the mallards.

Does this sound like any type of duck you know? We're in the NE of England and it was at a country park.

OP posts:
JustHereForThePooStories · 01/02/2019 19:39

He sounds like a duck I used to know named Bob.
Maybe it was Bob?

Alwaysatyke · 01/02/2019 19:40

Sounds like a goosander?

planespotting · 01/02/2019 19:40

Red created pochard?

Anybody any good at duck identification?

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planespotting · 01/02/2019 19:41

Rested

planespotting · 01/02/2019 19:41

Crested!!

Alwaysatyke · 01/02/2019 19:41

Oh, maybe not - just saw you said no tufty bits. As you were :)

MouseUtopia · 01/02/2019 19:43

The cap bit on the pochard is similar, but the body was a pale ish grey.

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MouseUtopia · 01/02/2019 19:44

I'm wondering if they're visiting from mainland Europe due to the bad weather.

It's driving me nuts.

OP posts:
guffaux · 01/02/2019 19:44

gadwall? -we have two pair in our local park-never seen them before, so may be visiting because of the severe weather

about the same size as the mallard, they are in winter plumage so the lovely finer colours not showing well

EnoughSnowAlready · 01/02/2019 19:45

Gadwall comes to mind.

MouseUtopia · 01/02/2019 19:46

Looks a bit like a European wigeon, but didn't have the yellow stripe up the front of the head.

OP posts:
glamorousgrandmother · 01/02/2019 19:46

Goosander.

MouseUtopia · 01/02/2019 19:48

Not a gadwall.

They were smaller than mallards.

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RedForShort · 01/02/2019 19:48

No photo? 🤔😔

Could be Bob. Think he's in Cambridge at the moment.

Will check my trusty bird book. I'll be back.

planespotting · 01/02/2019 19:50

Widgeon wouldn't have a dark "helmet" are you sure not a red c pochard on different lighting?

Anybody any good at duck identification?
RedForShort · 01/02/2019 19:52

Smew?

Anybody any good at duck identification?
MouseUtopia · 01/02/2019 19:54

No, not a red pochard. None of these look like them.

OP posts:
RedForShort · 01/02/2019 19:56

female smew.

Similar to these my book says similar ducks are Goosander and Ruddy Duck (female one again by the look of it)

MouseUtopia · 01/02/2019 20:06

I should have taken a photo. I was too busy feeding them and stuffing my own face with crisps 😂

OP posts:
MouseUtopia · 01/02/2019 20:09

Female smew, but the grey was lighter and the head less red.

I'm going to have to go back tomorrow for a photo I think.

OP posts:
RedForShort · 01/02/2019 20:20

That picture looks redder than in my book. Which described the head as a brown cap (body = dark grey body)

goose1964 · 01/02/2019 21:48

Pintail? Or pochard

PassingWind · 01/02/2019 21:50

There's an app for that

JustHereForThePooStories · 01/02/2019 21:51

There's an app for that

Faceduck?

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