Quite a good year for this species with eight sightings, though none were of more than two birds. The only two sightings for the first half of the year were both of two at Lindley Wood Reservoir on 24th February and on 25th February at Fly Flatts. Beaverdyke Reservoir had the first of the autumn with a single on 11th August. Scargill Reservoir had a female on 5th September. On a private lake an immature male was found on 12th October.

A female turned up at Lindley Wood Reservoir on 15th October and another 2 were at Knotford Nook three days later. The final sighting of the year was a male that stayed at Lindley Wood Reservoir from 6th December until 14th.

A slightly better year than 2003 with 10 sightings, though once again only in low numbers. An echo from last year was the first being seen at Lindley Wood Reservoir, this time an adult male moulting out of eclipse on 29th January. Another male was found at Burley-in-Wharfedale on 5th February, and Swinsty Reservoir had a pair on 16th and a male ten days later. The last sighting of the first winter period was another male at Kex Gill Quarry on 14th March.

Initiating the second winter period sightings, two females/immatures were seen at Otley Wetland on 5th September and presumably the same birds at Lindley Wood Reservoir. Exactly one month later a female was found on Lindley Wood Reservoir. The year’s highest count of three birds was at Silsden on the flooded fields near the River Aire on 29th October, and the final sighting was a female at Knotford Nook on the same day.

A relatively poor year, with only six records and nine birds, over a fairly widespread period. January produced a bird at Knotford Nook on 9th, and two at Embsay Pond on 17th. Two months later a bird was seen flying north at Silsden on 17th March.

There was then a gap of about five months before post-breeding birds were seen, comprising two at Thornton Moor Reservoir on 5th and 6th August, and, a month later, a drake at Otley Wetland on 4th September. Finally, a pair was on Silsden Reservoir on 19th November.

A similar year to 2005 produced seven records of about eight birds, which is becoming the average.

The only reports in the early months concerned a single at Chelker Reservoir on 15th January, and two birds at Cononley Ings on 20th March. This area was to prove to be the most productive during the rest of the year as up to two birds, presumably the same, were seen on three days from 31st October, and two others nearby at Farnhill Ings on 18th December. Away from here, a female was found at Otley Wetland on 11th September.

The 11 records received are better than average (though some refer to the same birds), but the total of 22 individuals is well up on most recent years.

The year started well when seven birds were found on Silsden Reservoir on 14th January, and the same observer located another at Cononley Ings six days later. There were no further sightings until 12th October at Otley Wetland when a single bird was present, and in November there were two reports from the Worth Valley, a fly-past individual at Leeshaw Reservoir on the 13th, and four over Oxenhope on the 17th.

December had the best counts, as between the 6th and 10th the flooded Cononley Ings attracted between three and eight birds, the largest party being present on the 7th and 9th.

Four birds were at Cononley Ings on 19th January, and one passed Otley Wetland the day after . The first location supplied two records in the later months, with a pair present on 12th October, and a presumably different pair on the 27th and 31st.