Goosander

This is a male goosander on Craiglockhart Pond. I started my expedition at Blackford Pond where I hadn't been since before Christmas but found there were no swans. I don't know if they had gone on a day trip somewhere - I do hope so - or whether they have gone for good. 

So I then went to Craiglockhart Pond where there were a pair of swans, I'm glad to say, but they seem to be new this year. I had heard that the male swan from last year (Tullius) had died and there was information at the pond that Brighid had been found under attack from a pair of swans and was rescued by the SSPCA and then taken to Musselburgh for her safety. So maybe the new swans are the ones who attacked her. They aren't ringed so it won't be easy to keep tabs on them. 

There were lots of goosanders at Craiglockhart Pond - I counted ten. Oddly only two were obviously male but it looked as if some of the ones who appeared to be female might be moulting. It would seem odd timing to be only going into breeding plumage now, but also odd for there to be eight females to two males. I will need to see what happens. Apart from a few showers there was a lot of sun with some warmth to it.