Mystery Duck

I know it's been a long time since my last post, I pretty much haven't had the time, and once you've let it go, it can be hard to get back.  One of the things that has kept me busy is my allotment, and it's coming back from there this morning via the Thames Patch that I spotted this duck among the Mallards by Crabtree Wharf.  My first impression was "Oh, one of those weird mallards..." but after closer inspection I am not convinced.  For a start, it's smaller, about 3/4 size of a Mallard as seen on the last photo when it decided to have a go at one. Then its eyes are red, more like a Pochard than a Mallard. But it has the shimmering green of a Mallard on its neck. A hybrid of some kind?  I let you judge for yourself, and if you have any idea, feel free to comment :)

Update 12 July: This is a Chestnut Teal. Another escapee. Thank you 'Anonymous'!

Quite cute, whatever it is, I think.

Lonsdale Reservoir last Sunday

I have been so busy and/or tired this week that I am only just managing to get this out now. I went to Lonsdale Reservoir last Sunday and, at last, mission Little Grebe was successful with a pair by the reed bed at one end of the reservoir :) #39 for the year.


I had barely started going round that a jogger asked me if I'd seen the owl, then by the tree I met some people who'd come specially to see it, so it's become a local celebrity it seems :)



Nearby I heard a Chiffchaff, then another on the other side which I spotted briefly. #40. The male Kestrel was sitting in a tree, I didn't spot its mate. Jackdaws, Stock Doves, but no Egyptian Geese.
A crow was picking up nesting material on the path, and another one was making a strange noise I don't recall hearing before:

Crow

On the water, there were still a few Common and Black-headed Gulls, but not that many. I couldn't see any Shovelers, but there were still some Tufted Ducks, Teals and Pochards. There had been mention on the Londonbirders wiki of likely unclipped Mandarins so I has a good look for them. Finally found them, and they gave me the run-around initially, moving from one side to the other, hiding behind the vegetation, but I think I finally got photos showing full winged birds. #41






Last visit I had done, over a month ago, a pair of Grey Herons had started building a nest on one of the rafts. They were still there:




This time, from the other side, I noticed that there was a second one, much lower one, on another raft:



Back closer to the nest, I was busy photographing the Mandarins when I heard noise from the herons' nest: the other had arrived for an exchange, the end of which I managed to video:

Nesting Grey Herons

Now that I have a bike, it will hopefully be less than a month before my next visit, with not having to spend 1hr30 just to get there and back anymore...

a slice of mandarin

Last Saturday, on my way to watch a friend race on the river, I spotted this female Mandarin among the barges at Furnival Gardens. I don't know if it is the same one I saw in February, and mentioned in this post, but, if not, it's her body double. I took photos on my way back home, on my way there the branch she's perched on was at water level.




I had previously seen her (difficult to imagine that there are that many of them lurking about around Fulham) in February, preening on the foreshore.



I like how the water appears to be boiling around her, but also how clear it was.



The difference between her two wings is fairly obvious this way.




For bigger versions and more photos click on the photos above or go to my gallery.

of boats, ducks and gulls

It was a bit strange by the Thames when I did the weekly shopping trip today. First, it was freezing cold but for a few seconds it felt like I was by the Mississippi when this boat sailed by:


It is called The Elizabethan, and is apparently a perfect replica of an 1890s Mississippi Stern-wheeled Paddle Steamer. "The Elizabethan is one of the largest vessels on the Thames for private charter, with an enviable reputation for excellent cuisine and service."

Second, there seemed to be more big gulls than in recent times, mostly Herring Gulls, but also 3 Great Black-backed Gulls. Considering I've hardly ever seen one there, seeing 3 at once was quite something, especially as 2 of them were engaged in loud courtship behaviour.

Lastly, there was a duck I wouldn't mind for my patch, a Pintail. Minding its own business on its lonesome.



For bigger versions, and more photos, click on one of the photos above or go here.

To finish, some gulls, just because. This pair was involved in a lot of courtship while I was there. I assume it's the male at the back and the female at the front, she somehow has a bit more of a feminine look to her. I quite like the composition of this photo but it doesn't show how hard they had to work to stay put against the wind.


A younger one on one of the numerous bicycles to be found on the foreshore unfortunately.



I quite like juvenile and 1st winter plumages, the only reason why I'm adding this one.

Has anyone lost a Mandarin?

When I went to the supermarket earlier today, I had the surprise to find on the foreshore this duck. A pretty little thing really, a female Wood Duck I am pretty sure. EDIT: it's a Mandarin... Not a bird I encounter every day on the Thames...






It was associating with the few Mallards around, but seemed rather lost. I heard her calling at one point.


She was also very skittish, always swimming away when she could see me above the parapet It stood at some point on the leaf litter and I couldn't see any ring, but I didn't have much time for it as she quickly ran away back to the water.
Looking at some of the photos, could her right wing be clipped?

8 for effort, nil for result

I guess it's time I do a final update on the moorhens. My last post was on Wednesday 2nd September. I went to check on them on the following Friday morning, and, for the 30 minutes I was around, one of the parents was on the nest, and not moving. The following day, I detoured before doing my patch check, and, once again, one of the parents was on the nest. It was visibly agitated, and within 5 minutes of me being there got up and went to check on the side of the tyre where I think one chick had fallen down. As it was up, another chick started going down:



and ended up on the mud as it was low tide. It did venture in the bit of water on the left of the photo, but the parent did push it back onto relatively safer ground and cleaned it up.



I could see one dead chick and one egg still in the nest. I stayed watching for a while, and nothing much changed, but I had to go. I checked again the next 2 mornings, but could only ever found 1 of the parents. I glimpsed the other one once from a distance on the raft of rubbish on the other side of the boat, but could not see if it had any chick in tow. Then, on Wednesday, at high tide, I found both birds preening on their favourite spot below the back of the boat. I think it's fairly safe to assume that they've sadly failed again.

At least, not all birds have failed in that area, the pair of swans nesting on the floating platform among the boats had one cygnet.
From this on 10 June:






to this on 27th June:





to this on 30th August:





A mallard also managed to raise 9 young to adult size in the area, which I think is no mean feat.


Having a nap on 3rd August in the swans' nesting platform