[Yashca]

Sounds like an odd request, I know, but I ended up bumping into the same hybrid Barnacle x Ross' goose four times this year at four different locations, and found the area it spanned to be quite impressive. I also saw a Chiloe Wigeon in East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire at four different locations.

I've also been trying to determine how many Bar-Headed Geese individuals there might be around the county, having seen one at North Cave and at Hornsea Mere this year, but knowing that one was reported at Nosterfield earlier this year, and one was was reported yesterday at Scaling Dam.

Hybrid, feral & colour mutated birds (such as leucisim and albinism) are interesting because they don't behave in a typically 'wild' manner, but their distinctiveness means that, without too much difficulty they can be tracked from site to site, and I, for one, think it would be interesting to see if such birds have regular movement patterns or wintering areas.

So any records of such birds would be gratefully received, with a date & site (even if out of county, I will probably ask for records on other county boards as well), even if birds seem to have been resident at a single location for years.

I would not like records of hybrids between Mallard 'breeds' as these are too common and not distinctive enough, and the same goes for hybrid Canada x Greylag Geese, as these are common and all look pretty much the same. Any less common goose hybrid records would be much appreciated.

As far as feral species go, I'm only interested in the ones under the threshold of being counted as a breeding species. So Red Crested Pochard is counted as a breeding bird, as is Mandarin, but Black Swan, Ruddy Shelduck & Wood Duck are not. Any records of those last three species would be much appreciated, as would records of other equally less common feral species.

Thank you for reading this, and thank you for any records.

[andy hood]

There's been 2 Black Swans at Hornsea Mere this year, they where still present last week , There where also 2 Black Swans at Peasholm Park , Scarborough last year, There has also been a few ( i think 9??) Ruddy Shelduck at Alkborough Flats, Lincolnshire this autumn too,

[Chris-Leeds]

Fairburn Ings have black swans, usually just the one pair but there have been two in the past.

[AndyK]

There was a black swan at harold park in Bradford, not sure if its still there. Haven't seen it myself but was reported on a local birding website.

[mudman]

Black Swan on the north shore of the Humber near Brough 2nd September.

If you are interested in the goose movements within the area the Central Science lab at Sand Hutton radio tagged some resident greylag in this area about 5 years ago. They maybe worth contacting ?

[Steve Lister]

Four Pink-feet that briefly stopped off at Rutland Water on November 8th were obviously wild birds but one of them was as dodgy looking as a lot of domestic influenced Greylags. It had white primaries, a white lower breast and reduced dark on the tail. It should be very obvious in any flock of Pink-feet seen well.

Steve

[Yashca]

Andy Hood: I knew about the Black Swans at Hornsea, I saw three there one day in August, so there must be some movement by at least one bird.
The Peasholm Park swans have gone now. One died last winter, the other disappeared. Also, I wasn't sure about collecting records of Ruddy Duck, are they still the target of eradication?

Chris-Leeds: Cheers for that, never seen them on my visits, but I've not really been that often. Might email RSPB for specifics.

AndyK: Do you have dates or can you point me to the website where it was reported?

Mudman: Not far from my parents house, that one. I must admit, there seem to be a lot of Black Swans about, more than I expected. But then, if I can get some coherent dates together, it may be that there are a few wide ranging birds seeding a lot of reports. I'll have to contact that group you mentioned, sounds like exactly the sort of thing I'm trying to find out.

Steve Lister: This bird sounds pretty interesting, so Pink-Foot x Domestic Greylag would you say? Certainly sounds distinctive. I need to post my request on the other UK forums and see if anyone else reports it.

[Chris-Leeds]

There had been a juve red crested pochard at Astley Lake (Swillington Ings) reported yesterday.

[joespy]

There were 2 B Swans at Fairburn yestrdy, on the Main bay, seen from Bob Dickens hide along with 2 Whoopers.
Joe

[Yashca]

Cheers for that. When I get a few more records I will start posting a few possible estimates of numbers. At least four in Yorkshire then, as I saw the Hornsea pair yestersay.

[666taz]

wakefield park pond has had egyptian goose 15/11/2006 and what i was told by someone a emporer hybrid goose 7/10/2009 is this the sort of thing your looking for.

[AndyK]

Yashca,

Black swan reporting at Harold Park is on this website http://www.oakenshawresidentsassocia...viro/?m=201110

The post on the website is dated October 30 2011, picture attached.

[joespy]

Yashca........
Don't know if this fits in with your records review................?
There is a long distance walk on the Yorks Wolds called The Chalkland Way that has as its "way indicator" a white circle with 2 Black Swans. This was used because the walk goes thro' Wetwang where, in the 1990's, there were 2 of these on the small village pond. So they must have been there for a good while to have been adopted as this walks symbol.
They are not, unfortunately, there now.....
Cheers Joe

[liverpool_bob]

Originally Posted by joespy

There is a long distance walk on the Yorks Wolds called The Chalkland Way that has as its "way indicator" a white circle with 2 Black Swans. This was used because the walk goes thro' Wetwang where, in the 1990's, there were 2 of these on the small village pond. So they must have been there for a good while to have been adopted as this walks symbol.

I seem to recall someone saying they were introduced by a former landlord of the pub next to the pond - The Black Swan.

[Yashca]

Thanks everyone,

666taz: Eqyptian goose is pretty much a regular breeder, so I wasn't thinking of collecting records of them. The hybrid Emperor Goose though, that is an a good record. Do you know of any photos that were taken of it? Would you hazard a guess at the other species in the mix?

Andk: Thanks for the link and dated record. Seem to be getting a lot of Black Swan records, soon I might be able to put a guess at the Yorkshire population.

Joespy: Excellent historical record. If I ever get an overview written down, then that will be going straight in.

Liverpool_bob: Thanks for the additional information.

[mudman]

There is a very large feral colony of Barnacle geese on the Humber, they are almost totally based on Whitton sands, an island just to the south of Broomfleet. Numbers are in the hundreds, I think in excess of 400 now.

[Chris-Leeds]

Originally Posted by Chris-Leeds

There had been a juve red crested pochard at Astley Lake (Swillington Ings) reported yesterday.

Here's a follow on about this bird, comes from the ID section.
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=217861

[666taz]

This is a thread i started asking for id about the emperor goose http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=153840 i have a few more pics i took as well.

[northernloon]

Not sure if this what you are aiming for but the BTO is conducting a survey of abnormal plumages

[666taz]

Black swan seen at askern pond