Male garganey There’s fresh snow on distant fells and a sparkling frost on the boardwalk at Leighton Moss. Willow catkins are full of pollen and attract bees. A few weeks ago mature willow crowns were red-gold. Now they burst into leaf in a haze of fresh green.
A male bittern booms loud and clear throughout the morning. There are three on the Reserve and the habitat they favour is carefully prepared to encourage their successful breeding. Three marsh harrier fly above us. A clear blue sky is reflected in freshwater pools ruffled by the wind.
A male bittern booms loud and clear throughout the morning. There are three on the Reserve and the habitat they favour is carefully prepared to encourage their successful breeding. Three marsh harrier fly above us. A clear blue sky is reflected in freshwater pools ruffled by the wind.
I hope to find garganey where they appeared nine days ago and I’ve read-up on them since. The male's broad white eyebrow and chocolate brown head is distinctive. They’re very scarce and secretive so a good sighting is special. Garganey winter in Africa and are the only UK migrant summering duck. Arriving in early March, they settle to breed. I spy a pair swimming across a narrow stretch of open water, coming to land again in fresh green reeds amongst winter stubble, then settling into stillness. Their exquisite plumage patterns give camouflage but strong sunlight blazes off the male’s pale side-panel and off that bold white eyebrow- the easier features to seek when the birds hunker down in the reeds. A long, long interlude of watching the reed stubble for a movement. There are pochard, gadwall, lapwing and bright, bold shoveler out in the open where the sun reflects off their plumage and confuses the picture. There are scattered coot and a distant male goldeneye. Teal are a similar size to garganey. Summer teal, the garganey is called and a male teal tags on to the two male garganey and a female.
After a long while there’s a stirring in the reeds and the trio of garganey makes for the water- and for a few moments they’re out swimming in bright sunlight. Garganey, Anas querquedula, a dabbling duck shallow feeding on plants and insects. There's an unfamiliar rasping call and, later ( with the help of a BTO identification workshop) , I realise I was hearing the male garganey.
The coincidence of good light and garganey out on open water is not to be missed. The birds are at a distance, light changes all the time and each image catches slightly different plumage detail. Only occasionally do my images catch the silver blue of the male's speculum. To see vermiculation on breast and belly the light needs to be just right. The female is a challenge and that white spot at the base of her bill is definitive. There's endless fascination in all this - the wonder of the garganey's long-distance migration, then their settling down into niche spring breeding territory. In hearing that rasping call and hoping to fix it in the memory when it's rare to hear it. And in coincidence of light, good posture and close-ups to reveal patterns and colours of breeding plumage.
The coincidence of good light and garganey out on open water is not to be missed. The birds are at a distance, light changes all the time and each image catches slightly different plumage detail. Only occasionally do my images catch the silver blue of the male's speculum. To see vermiculation on breast and belly the light needs to be just right. The female is a challenge and that white spot at the base of her bill is definitive. There's endless fascination in all this - the wonder of the garganey's long-distance migration, then their settling down into niche spring breeding territory. In hearing that rasping call and hoping to fix it in the memory when it's rare to hear it. And in coincidence of light, good posture and close-ups to reveal patterns and colours of breeding plumage.
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