Gorgeous Gadwalls

Anas strepera

Photobombed by a bonus Shelduck Tadorna tadorna!

We had a visit to Loch Leven today, figuring the poor weather would keep other people away and it certainly did. We pretty much had the hides to ourselves apart from 5 other people at various times who came and went pretty quickly. I saw 32 different types of birds. Highlights inluded Barnacle, Pink-footed and Greylag Geese, the latter complete with the cutest goslings. A pair of Great Crested Grebes building a nest. Shovellers, Pochards, Shelducks and Gadwalls. The Gadwalls look like rather boring grey ducks to begin with but had beautifully patterned feathers and a stunning burgundy wing flash. I wasn't close enough to bring any of this out but they really are gorgeous. The right hand bird is the male and the left the female. Loch Leven houses the greatest population of these in Scotland and my bird book estimates about 150 pairs in the country. Back on the feeders at the centre we saw some really beautifully coloured Siskins and a Tree Sparrow and I was tempted into buying a book on wildlife tracking.