Waxwing Lyrical

It's been a Waxwing Winter this year but I haven't been really motivated to go and see them because there have been so many photos from other people. However, breakfast out in North Wales with my wife beckoned so it would have been rude not to look. Unfortunately the weather was grey and dismal with plenty of rain and so we only got a few distant glimpses of the large flock that has been flying around the Halkyn mountain area.

So after a hearty meal at Billy Jean's cafe, we set off and this is what we saw. Only blurry distant record shots I'm afraid but with around 60 birds in the flock we saw it was an impressive sight as they raided the Hawthorn berry trees.

Drake Ring-necked Duck in St. Helens

It was great to get close to this lovely little North American visitor at Taylor Park in St. Helens today. But why is it called a Ring-necked Duck and not a Ring-billed Duck?

Well, the reason is only obvious in good light when it raises its head slightly, thus revealing a faint cinnamon ring around its neck.

My only previous sighting of a drake Ring-necked Duck was at Llyn Brant in North Wales a few years ago, and it was very distant.

From a distance it looks quite like a Tufted Duck, to which it is related and often interbreeds.  But close up it shows the differences quite clearly, particularly the lovely white markings on its bill. It also has a peaked head with no tuft and the flanks are pure white only at the front, unlike in a Tufty where all the flank is white.

This is a first winter male distinguished by a few remaining buff coloured rather than light grey feathers on its flanks.  Full adult males show a much clearer vertical white 'spur' on the flank below the neck.

But although I really enjoyed photographing this bird very much, what I most enjoyed was meeting up with a few fellow bird photographers and having a good chinwag.  It was really nice to catch up with Mike Barth, Steve Round, Kerry Round, Dennis Eagling and John Raynor too. I've not been out for so long I'd almost forgotten what it's like. A great day out.