Wednesday 9 January 2013

What Smew...


8th January and I was out with my bird watching friends.  

We put off doing a survey due to the forecast for heavy rain which did not materialize.  However, standing outside the southerly hide at East Chevington gave us beautiful views of the visiting red-head Smew. When I read that only about 100 come to this country in winter I felt really honoured to have watched it preening, diving and flying with the Goldeneyes.  I am told this will be a female as the juvenile males will now be in their full, stunning plumage.  

We also enjoyed watching the courting Goldeneye ducks and drakes.  Two males were displaying to a female who eventually adopted the submissive pose with her chin right down in the water, being interested in one of them.  He then decided she was obviously too easy, lost interest, turned away and paddled off.  Now the second reckoned he was on to a good thing and took over throwing his head back and looking stunning.  It was no good, she'd become bored or hungry or was a one drake duck and tootled off.  It's rather like a soap on T.V.

Mora J Rolley

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