How to...

identify those winter water birds

Why not make more of our seasonal stroll at Chew Valley Lakes by getting to know your ducks and drakes? Rupert Higgins, a local ornithologist, who has worked with the Trust for many years here tells you how...

Useful bird guides
Rupert recommends Collins Bird Guide, by Killian Mullarney, Lars Svensson, Dan Zetterstrom and Peter J Grant (pub. Collins), and Birds of Europe by Lars Jonsson (pub. Helm).

Mallard Our most familiar duck, found in virtually all wetland habitats. The drake, with his bottle-green head, bright yellow bill, white collar and brown breast, is unmistakeable. As with most wildfowl, the duck is far less striking, patterned intricately in tan and dark brown. A dark eye-stripe contrasts with paler stripes above and below the eyes. Hybrids with domestic ducks are common and produce a bewildering array of colours and shapes.			Pochard Our second most common diving duck, pochards are herbivorous and usually found on large pools. The drake is distinctive, sporting a chestnut head, black breast and stern and grey body. The female is mostly grey, with a brown head and breast and usually paler areas around the eye and bill.
Teal are noticeably smaller than most other British ducks. They are usually wary, and are found on water bodies with a fringe of emergent vegetation, from which they spring athletically when startled. The male has a chestnut head with a wide green stripe through the eye, and a yellowish flash under the tail. In flight both sexes show a broad green trailing edge to the inner wing. Teal are very vocal - the most common calls are a variety of conversational whistles.			Goosander are found on lakes and rivers. The males have a green head, are black above and below appear white, but a close look reveals a beautiful sunset-pink shade to their plumage. The ducks have a brown head, a shaggy crest and grey bodies. Both sexes have long hook-tipped beaks with serrated edges, adapted for catching fish.
Shoveler are named for their broad-ended bills, which they use for filtering food from the water. Large concentrations of shovelers occur at Chew Valley lake, but smaller parties can be seen on flood water, the coast and on large rhynes. The drake has a bright green head, contrasting with a white breast and chestnut flanks, and in flight has a broad pale blue panel on the inner wing.			Little grebe or dabchicks to use their alternative name, are dumpy birds, which sit with their rear ends riding high out of the water. They dive after insects and small fish. In winter they are predominantly brown. Late in the season their high trilling call can often be heard, even on small ponds and ditches providing a fringe of emergent vegetation is present.
Gadwall At first glance the gadwall is a rather drab looking duck, but a closer look reveals intricately patterned plumage in both sexes. They both have a greyish head, but the male has black fringing on the breast, grey flanks and a black stern, whilst the female has brown feathers scalloped with black. Yellow sides to the bill distinguish her from female mallard. Gadwall are becoming increasingly widespread and can be found on small ponds and pools.			Snipe The usual view of snipe is of a brown bird zig-zagging high into the sky with a harsh “scaap” call. Searching the edge of shallow water, however, may reveal a crouched brown bird, streaked and barred with paler tones and sporting a ridiculously long bill. Snipe have a tenuous hold as breeding birds locally but are widespread in winter.
Tufted duck are the most common diving duck. Unlike the dabbling ducks, which spring directly into flight, diving ducks patter across the water before taking off. Drake tufted ducks are unmistakeable - they are mostly black, but with striking white flanks. The females are brown, but like the males have bright yellow eyes and usually have a smaller version of the drake's long wispy crest. Tufted ducks are seen on a wide variety of pools and can be very tame.			Reed bunting A sparrow-sized bird, which in winter can be found in arable fields as well as around wetlands of all kinds. The male has a black head, white moustachial stripe and white collar. The female has white stripes over the eye and from the bill extending down onto the chest. Her flanks are heavily streaked. Both sexes have a longer tail than a sparrow, with white outer tail feathers which are obvious in flight. They call frequently - a high 'tsew.'

Photo credits: Mallard, teal, shoveler, snipe, pochard © Arthur Grosset: www.arthurgrosset.com

Tufted duck, reed bunting © Ollie Smart: www.smartimages.co.uk

Goosander © Rich Andrews: www.cvlbirding.co.uk