Duck Id? (1 Viewer)

peteh · Jul 13, 2003

Hello,

Spotted this duck in with the Tufted ducks on a gravel pit.
It was a touch smaller than the Tuftys.
It had a yellow eye, the head (much deeper and squarer than the tuftys) was completely brown. At one point when it swam it lay its tail flat on the water rather than sticking up like in all the pics.
It never lifted its head up to show the neck unlike the tufted ducks around it and it never fed so I couldnt tell you if it was a diving duck etc.
I apologise for the photos, the bird was approx 400m + it was glaring sunshine today so it was heat haze tastic!
Anyone any ideas?

peteh · Jul 13, 2003

another pic
(infront of a tufted duck)

peteh · Jul 13, 2003

in with a pile of tufted ducks

Michael Frankis · Jul 13, 2003

Shape a bit like a (presumably juv.) Goldeneye?

The long tail makes another Aythya look unlikely (compare the Tufty in the middle pic! - also with its tail up)

Michael

HH75 · Jul 13, 2003

Hi Pete,
Agree with Michael,it looks like a Goldeneye.
Harry H

robinm · Jul 13, 2003

My first reaction on seeing the top photo particularly was Goldeneye. On further thought I cannot think what else it might be, so Goldeneye it is.

peteh · Jul 13, 2003

I did think Goldeneye early on but with it being smaller than the tuftys and with it having a flat crown I scrubbed Goldeneye.
Maybe someone gave it a bop on the head when it was younger.

CJW · Jul 13, 2003

I disagree. It's way too small for Goldeneye - they're bigger, on average, than tufties and Pete's bird is obviously smaller than tufty. Doesn't mean to say I know what it is yet though.......

HH75 · Jul 13, 2003

Hi CJW,
Could a young Goldeneye fly while still smaller than the adult(as in young auks)?Doesn't seem to be the right shape for a Bufflehead:maybe a Bufflehead x Goldeneye is possible?
Some clearer photos if possible would be a great help...
Harry H

Michael Frankis · Jul 13, 2003

Hi Chris,

I don't think Goldeneye are larger!

Collins Bird Guide gives 40-47cm for Tufty and 40-48cm for Goldeneye**, so in length they overlap almost completely. And given that G'eye's length includes a longer tail, its body length will be a bit shorter on average.

If you've got a recently fledged juv G'eye (down from Speyside? or locally bred?) it might also not yet be fully grown.

** and sooner or later, it'll happen that you get a 40cm G'eye with a couple of 47cm Tufties - then it would really stand out as smaller!

Michael

CJW · Jul 13, 2003

Hi Harry, I think that all ducks are "full-sized" at the flying age. I'm thinking a hybrid aswell, I'll go up there this evening and have a look to see if I can get any better pictures (I didn't mean it to sound like that Pete, you KNOW what I meant!).
By the way, it might help to know that Goldeneye don't breed on the Isle Of Man.

Michael Frankis · Jul 13, 2003

Don't know about ducks, but swans and geese can certainly fly well, a little before they're full adult size

Michael

HH75 · Jul 13, 2003

Hi CJW,
Goldeneye don't breed in Ireland either...but they have done on occasion!Maybe the species has bred unknown to you all?
Anyway,as Michael said,there is a fair degree of overlap in size between Tufted Duck and Goldeneye,and maybe the Tufteds are on the large side?Pure Bufflehead is TINY,too big for that(and wrong shape).Tail/head certainly point to a goldeneye sp or a hybrid with genes from a goldeneye sp.
Harry H

CJW · Jul 13, 2003

Michael, yes, let's ignore how steep the forehead is or flat-topped the crown is.
It ain't a Goldeneye.

peteh · Jul 13, 2003

You should be able to get good shots this evening with the heat haze gone and the sun behind.

(By the way theres a 4x4 track further down so i walked that and didnt need to get ripped to pieces by gorse which was nice.)

Michael Frankis · Jul 13, 2003

Harry Hussey said:
Goldeneye don't breed in Ireland either...but they have done on occasion! Maybe the species has bred unknown to you all?

Hi Harry,
My thoughts exactly

Peteee23 said:
You should be able to get good shots this evening

If it is out of photo range, you could always pretend that there could be Ruddy Duck in the parentage, and that the good shots need to be obtained with a 12-bore . . .

Michael

peteh · Jul 13, 2003

If what I read just then is true about Goldeneye nesting in old Woodpecker nests then we definately would not get breeding Goldeneye. We would need some Woodpeckers first!!!!

(plus some decent trees of course.)

Michael Frankis · Jul 13, 2003

Hi Peteee,

Most of the Scottish Goldeneyes nest in nestboxes! If anyone has got any large boxes (Stock Dove size or larger) up within a mile of fresh water, Goldeneye could use them. Natural tree holes are also OK and do get used.

Michael

StevieEvans · Jul 13, 2003

? hybrid

I agree with Harry, Bufflehead x Goldeneye hybrid looks a good choice, but the raised tail is very prominant........ so it might have a 'touch' of Ring-necked Duck...?

As for the Goldeneye size debate, i can't ever remember seeing a Female Goldeneye which was as large as a Tufted Duck.

Hope to see more pic's.
S

CJW · Jul 13, 2003

Sorry folks, couldn't relocate it.
Who cares anyway? It was a crappy brown duck!!!
Looks like the shrike has finally departed by the way. He left his last meal untouched......

Duck Id? (1 Viewer)

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Attachments

conehead

Well-known member

Registered User

Well-known member

Hit-and-run WUM

Well-known member

conehead

Hit-and-run WUM

conehead

Well-known member

Hit-and-run WUM

Well-known member

conehead

Well-known member

conehead

Well-known member

Hit-and-run WUM

Attachments

Similar threads

Users who are viewing this thread