Seen most years in small numbers. Click for pdf file. Recent Sightings:

Fairly predictably all the records came from lower Wharfedale, and didn’t involve more than four birds at any site. In January and early February, up to four were seen at Knotford Nook, and could have included a bird seen earlier at Otley Wetland, and at a private site. However, from the pattern of records, one at Lindley Wood Reservoir mid-month was different. After a gap of seven weeks, Otley Wetland had a pair on 28th March, and there was a scarce spring record of a bird there on 7th May. There was then a marked scarcity of reports for autumn and the later winter months, consisting only of the same two birds at Otley Wetland and Knotford on 13th October, one at the second location on 9th November, and two on 22nd December.

Knotford Nook had the majority of sightings, with up to six there in the first winter period. Otherwise, no more than two birds were seen, with sporadic records from Thornton Moor Reservoir, Otley Wetland and Cononley Ings.

Unusually, all this year’s sightings were at Otley Wetland. Numbers were smaller than usual, and comprised a pair in January and December, and singles on four days in March and one in April.

1993

At last! After waiting six years, three records of this handsome duck. Otley and Elland Gravel Pits held a pair and a male respectively on 11th May and a female at Kex Gill Quarry put in appearance on 23rd September.

Just one record: a drake at Otley Wetland on 4th May.

The second group record was of a female that was found at John o’ Gaunt’s Reservoir on 5th and 6th October, despite the bird being very wary, patient observation allowed a detailed description to be taken.

Two records were received for this species in 1997: the first was of a female bird at Marstons Nature Reserve on 20th May, while the second concerned the ‘hybrid’ bird at Yeadon Tarn first mentioned in the Group’s 1996 Report, which was seen again on 29th May.

A drake found at Otley Wetland on 9th October remained until the year-end. Whilst its arrival date is fairly typical for an overshooting migrant, the escape possibility cannot be ruled out.

At Otley Wetland, the drake first seen in October, 2007 spoiled any credentials as a wild bird by remaining in the area until 10th September, though sightings were discontinuous.

A first-winter male was present at Chelker Reservoir for two days from 31st October. The following week ‘a cracking’ adult male was located on the River Aire near Baildon Bridge gave close views and stayed from at least 8th until 21st November.

After the comparative riches of the previous year, normality was restored, with just a single bird at Otley Gravel Pits on 21st December.

In a reasonable showing, 11 different birds were seen, though consisting mainly of one party. April often turns up passage birds, and a female was at Leeshaw Reservoir from the 3rd to the 6th, and another at Knotford Nook on the 5th. Another single was found on Lower Barden Reservoir on 16th July, and 6th August produced eight birds, one at Reva Reservoir, and the others, including three drakes, at Thornton Moor Reservoir.

A below average showing, with only three records. Thornton Moor Reservoir produced three birds on 22nd June, and 10 on 12th September, and there were three at nearby Warley Moor Reservoir two days later.

A welcome, if brief, return of an increasingly scarce bird in the area, and not seen since 2003. The bird, (a ‘redhead’) was found on a tiny patch of unfrozen water at Otley Wetland on 29th November. Unsurprisingly it didn’t stay.

Two records in the year doubles some other recent tallies. On 30th April, a bird was seen at close range near Bolton Abbey, and a pair was present at Ogden Reservoir from 27th to 29th September.

Two records of this species nowadays represents a good return. A female was at Yeadon Tarn on 2nd February, and a pair was seen on the river at Bolton Abbey on 20th October.