Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis
Calvert Sailing Lake - 4th to 7th June 2009
Photos copyright Tim Watts
Calvert once again attracts this scarce Bucks visitor, this time a drake. The bird stayed for several days and attracted quite a few admirers.
Photos copyright Tim Watts
This Long Tailed Duck (thought to be an adult female) was found on Calvert sailing lake late afternoon by Calvert regular Tim Watts. First spotted in nearside bay to right of jetty and right of clubhouse. The bird fed ton the lake until dark on 16th. Dives timed from 26-50 secs down and 2 secs up therefore making getting these photos rather tricky!
After a gap in records in late
November into December, what is assumed to be the same bird was seen on the BBOWT lake at
Calvert. This species is known to occasionally stay on
inland lakes for long periods, so the fact that this bird stayed until mid-April
was not too surprising.
The two Long-tailed Ducks pictured below were considered to be an immature male and a female. They stayed from 16th December 1990 to 13th January 1991 and were enjoyed by many birders.
The individual below stayed from 23rd October 1988 to 4th June 1989 was often seen in the Bucks section. This was the first record of this species in the county since 1983.
Photos copyright Mike Wallen