TUESDAY 11 NOVEMBER
Following a timely call from MJP, I made my
way quickly north to BROGBOROUGH LAKE, where Stuart Elsom had earlier discovered
a FERRUGINOUS DUCK during his monthly WeBS count of the site. MJP was still
there when I arrived 35 minutes later and very kindly directed me straight on to
the bird - isolated to the right of a throng of Aythya duck.
Immediately, it was seen to be much smaller than the Pochard it was
accompanying, with a characteristically peaked crown and long thin neck. It's
plumage was 'ferruginous' brown throughout, albeit virtually black on the
upperparts. These contrasted with the gleaming white undertail coverts, with
little hint of any grey in the flanks (a typical hybrid trait). The long bill
was primarily dark grey, with a slight bluish band towards the tip, while the
iris was dark, indicating that the bird was either female or juvenile. I took a
number of shots of it but at the distance viewed (230 yards) barely more than
poor record in quality (see below). At no point did I see its wing bar nor belly
but face-on, the bill was seen to be black restricted to the tip and not
extending out on to the flanges - a perfect candidate in my opinion and not one
of the many hybrids at large in the UK.
Whilst there, I took the opportunity to
count the waterbirds present, logging the female GREATER SCAUP (image below),
172 Tufted Duck, 128 Northern Pochard, 28 Mallard, 248 Coot, 11 Great Crested
Grebe, 4 Little Grebe and 7 Mute Swans
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