Tuesday, October 18, 2005 - I don't do ducks

Grimley new workings this morning was fairly quiet. 12+ Gadwall, 30+ Lapwing, thousands of coots! Water level still high but this doesn't worry  the goldfinches. A single snipe flew over and a single pied wagtail was in residence.

This morning there was an interesting duck, if you like that sort of thing. Even mundane mallards can be interesting it seems. If it looks like a mallard and quacks like a mallard it must be a .... Well if it is slightly larger than the neighbours with a grey bill and slate grey plumage with a large white patch at the base of the neck  it's still a mallard. Or is it a hybrid? I can find nothing resembling it on the internet so its just an odd mallard. Then I saw a different one with light brown, buff plumage and no variegation and a pale back. So now I  can't even identify mallards with confidence! I dont do ducks!!

Dave Benton