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January 2018
Nottinghamshire
male Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
Wildfowl is always a major feature of January birding in Britain as many species that breed in the Arctic spend the winter here.
male Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
Goldeneye is one such species. Although there is a small breeding population of about 100 pairs in northern Scotland, the vast majority of individuals seen in Britain are visitors from Scandinavian populations. They are not particulary common in Nottinghamshire, but there are usually about 20 or so at Attenborough throughout the winter.
male Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
1st-winter male Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis)
A much rarer visitor, which is rarely seen inland in Britain, was a first winter male Long-tailed Duck that took up residence at the rowing course at the Holme-Pierrepont National Watersports Centre near Nottingham. It seemed quite happy hanging around the finish line, often quite close inshore, and is still there at the time of writing.
1st-winter male Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis)
1st-winter male Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis)
1st-winter male Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis)
male Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina)
Red-crested Pochard has a number of small feral populations in Britain and there are usually a couple of pairs close to the visitor's centre at Attenborough.
female Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina)
male Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) having a bath
male Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) having a bath
male Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Robins are always a very visible species at Attenborough, especially in winter when they often appear on a branch mere inches from your head in the hope of being fed.
I didn't have much luck with most of the other woodland birds this month, but a small group of female Bullfinches did put on a bit of a show one afternoon when they were feeding on the dried up remains of last year's bumper bramble crop.
female Eurasian Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)
female Eurasian Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)
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