Smew |
Red-brested
Merganser |
Goosander |
SMEW
Mergellus albellus
Scarce winter visitor.
The one and only sighting was of two on the River Wharfe north of Barden on 11th January (IGP).
RED-BREASTED
MERGANSER Mergus serrator
Uncommon passage/winter visitor.
This was yet another below average year with only two sightings arising in the first half of the year. A single bird was on Chelker Reservoir on 12th January (JLT). On 8th April a female was found at Lindley Wood Reservoir (AGG).
GOOSANDER
Mergus merganser
Resident breeder, passage/winter visitor
The reported decline in wintering Goosander last year continued in 2003,
though this may be artificial as there appears to be fewer counts of roosts
taking place.
The monthly maxima at the two traditional roost sites was as follows:
|
Lindley
Wood Reservoir |
Thornton
Moor Reservoir |
|
| February | 26 |
|
| March | 11 |
6 |
| April | 6 |
6 |
| August | 1 |
11 |
| September | 2 |
53 |
| October | 7 |
74 |
| November | 8 |
33 |
| December | 25 |
9 |
Elland Gravel Pits also didn’t meet the heady heights of last year with 25 being the highest total recorded compared with 83. Twelve on 4th March at Yeadon Tarn and ten on 14th September at Cold Edge Dams were the only other sites to record double figures. Over ten were seen from Doe Park and Denholme Clough on a number of occasions but these are birds leaving the Thornton Moor Reservoir roost.
Breeding was successful at the following sites; Askwith, Burley, Marley, and Pool