Rizzo 1,889 Report post Posted February 26 1 hour ago, sugna said: Found it. When it's in the middle of other tufties, it looks enough like a tuftie to get away with it for a minute or so. Head shape (inc. nae-tuft) and bill are quite different, of course. Looks like a ring necked duck, might be wrong. 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sugna 996 Report post Posted February 26 27 minutes ago, Rizzo said: Looks like a ring necked duck, might be wrong. You're not wrong, though. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
printer 1,415 Report post Posted February 26 6 hours ago, sugna said: I have had a very similar experience teaching my niece and nephew about tufties I bet they loved that! 😉 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tamthebam 10,318 Report post Posted February 26 1 hour ago, sugna said: Found it. When it's in the middle of other tufties, it looks enough like a tuftie to get away with it for a minute or so. Head shape (inc. nae-tuft) and bill are quite different, of course. Seems to be a ring necked duck. Which is found in North America. Wikipedia says it is a regular but rare visitor to Western Europe so you've done quite well spotting that. 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sugna 996 Report post Posted February 26 42 minutes ago, printer said: I bet they loved that! 😉 It was the younger niece and nephew, so their natural respect for me got me through it. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sugna 996 Report post Posted February 26 43 minutes ago, tamthebam said: Seems to be a ring necked duck. Which is found in North America. Wikipedia says it is a regular but rare visitor to Western Europe so you've done quite well spotting that. It had been seen around the Lothians a day or two before, but I hadn't picked up on that - or even what one looked like. Then we strolled down to Inverleith Pond and I gave my masterclass in dabbling duck misidentification. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Mantis 2,957 Report post Posted February 27 12 hours ago, Hillonearth said: There were loads up at Hiogganfield last week when I went up to see the Iceland Gull - the males were in full display mode doing that weird head-bobbing thing they do... This kind of thing... 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
printer 1,415 Report post Posted February 27 10 hours ago, sugna said: It was the younger niece and nephew, so their natural respect for me got me through it. I thought that must be the case. 😃 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rizzo 1,889 Report post Posted February 27 29 minutes ago, The Mantis said: This kind of thing... That duck would get a game up front for hearts with an act like that. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hillonearth 5,601 Report post Posted February 27 11 hours ago, tamthebam said: Seems to be a ring necked duck. Which is found in North America. Wikipedia says it is a regular but rare visitor to Western Europe so you've done quite well spotting that. There's been another drake RND appearing here and there across Glasgow and the spam belt of East Dunbartonshire since last winter as well...I'd seen it up at Mugdock Loch out past Milngavie where it stayed longest, but it's also spent spells at a couple of wee lochs in Bearsden and even at Victoria Park and Bingham's Pond at Gartnavel Hospital. 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Billy Jean King 2,170 Report post Posted February 28 Egret today on the shore at Barassie. Apologies for poor shots but I didn't have even my phone so my wife's "handiwork" 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Archie McSquackle 481 Report post Posted February 28 I saw a couple of these wee birds with the red bills on the canal this morning. Haven't seen them before- are they some sort of duck?And yes, before anyone says it, I know the big white ones are swans! 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Billy Jean King 2,170 Report post Posted February 28 I saw a couple of these wee birds with the red bills on the canal this morning. Haven't seen them before- are they some sort of duck?And yes, before anyone says it, I know the big white ones are swans!Moorhens 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tamthebam 10,318 Report post Posted February 28 Moorhens are usually quite shy but the ones on Airthrey Loch on the Stirling Uni campus will come up and beg for food. Along with ducks, rabbits and students. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Mantis 2,957 Report post Posted March 2 Cormorant at Lithgae this time last year. No allowed to travel that far right now, shame as I've been looking forward to catching the Great Crested Grebes. 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hedgecutter 8,396 Report post Posted March 2 8 minutes ago, The Mantis said: Cormorant at Lithgae this time last year. No allowed to travel that far right now, shame as I've been looking forward to catching the Great Crested Grebes. Saw one of these fly past me along the River Don at Dyce last week (~3 miles inland). Not quite where I expected to see one, even though there's plenty of them further down the coast around Stonehaven. Very impressive in flight. 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thisal 1,334 Report post Posted March 2 11 minutes ago, Hedgecutter said: Saw one of these fly past me along the River Don at Dyce last week (~3 miles inland). Not quite where I expected to see one, even though there's plenty of them further down the coast around Stonehaven. Very impressive in flight. Saw one fly over Balmore Road at Lambhill. Assumed it didn't know the Chip Stop was now a bookies 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fife Saint 1,873 Report post Posted March 4 Saw one fly over Balmore Road at Lambhill. Assumed it didn't know the Chip Stop was now a bookiesThey are rife out my way in Kirky, a few well stocked lochs, the canal and the Kelvin are obvious hunting grounds. 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Mantis 2,957 Report post Posted March 5 (edited) A Grey Wagtail down the River Esk a couple of days ago. Expected to see a Dipper on the shitey boulder and waited about an hour and a half but you can't have everything... Edited March 5 by The Mantis 4 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sugna 996 Report post Posted March 6 18 hours ago, The Mantis said: A Grey Wagtail down the River Esk a couple of days ago. Expected to see a Dipper on the shitey boulder and waited about an hour and a half but you can't have everything... River Almond yesterday, and Spring was very much in the air. All sorts of pairings-up going on, including: goldcrests, song thrushes, robins, mallards, goosanders, red-breasted mergansers, goldeneyes, dabchicks, grey wagtails.... ... oh, and dippers. Which led to me taking my favourite dipper photo so far. 6 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
