Redhead

[Harry Hussey]

Hi all,
There is currently an eclipse male Redhead on Cape Clear Island,Co.Cork(found yesterday).While the time of year would mitigate against a wild origin,the bird was seen to be unringed and unpinioned today,and seems to show no anomalous features suggestive of hybrid traits.
Two photos are already on line at:
http://www.irishbirding.com/birdnews.html
and no doubt more will follow after today's big twitch(yes,I did go down to see it:sad,I know,but I'd never seen a Redhead anywhere in the world anyway,even in captivity(and of course it may yet be accepted onto Category A...)).
What I want to know is if this plumage is typical of eclipse males in America at this time of year,and how common(or otherwise)the species is in captivity?
Harry H

[Darrell Clegg]

Harry,

You're right about this not being the best time of year for genuine American Vagrant ducks, but that Welsh Redhead has to spend the summer somewhere - maybe this is him!!

Darrell

[Beverlybaynes]

Certainly looks right -- but I'm no expert.

Now he's probably pretty famous on your side of the pond (I've no idea) but thought it hilarious that the pix were taken by Steve WING. LOL!

[Harry Hussey]

Hi Darrell,
The possibility of "our" Redhead being the Welsh bird was raised on site.Realistically,I'd say that it will only be accepted on to Category D,but perhaps numbers of the species are sufficiently low in captivity for even a midsummer bird to be acceptable as probably being of wild origin?The identification certainly seems to have been sorted out:all of us were satisfied that it wasn't a lookalike hybrid.
Beverly:Steve Wing is the warden of the Cape Clear Bird Observatory,and has been since 1998.A few wardens before him there was a Dave Bird!
Harry H

[Swift]

I reckon it will make it on cat A , mid summer is a good time for Yanky ducks, if its presumed that they arrived the previous year then went North/East like all the other ducks, they are bound to be one of the first back as failed breeders. Penny Flash Canvasback & Lesser Scaup just one that springs to mind.