Red-brested
Merganser |
Goosander |
RED-BREASTED
MERGANSER Mergus serrator
Uncommon passage/winter visitor.
As in 2005, just one record, and from the same location: a single at Thornton Moor Reservoir on 21st August (RHP).
GOOSANDER
Mergus merganser
Resident breeder, passage/winter visitor.
The popularity of this striking duck is evident from the 250 records received, the highest ever total. This might, however, give a slightly misleading impression, as many of the reports are centred on the River Wharfe around Bolton Abbey, and the numbers of birds roosting in autumn and winter on the region’s wetland areas are considerably down on those of ten years ago. Moreover, reported breeding has not increased at the rate that might have been expected, being only six pairs up on the recorded total in the Group’s initial Report in 1987.
Excluding family parties, there were double-figure counts from only eight locations, and at one of these there is the possibility of the birds being ones dispersing from a nearby roost. Thornton Moor Reservoir now comprises the Group’s only significant roost-site, and even here numbers are far from consistent, as the table of monthly maxima shows:
Jan |
Feb |
April |
August |
Sep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
31 |
34 |
21 |
10 |
62 |
September was easily the best month at Thornton Moor, with five counts of between 11 and 62 birds, and during this same period nearby Denholme Clough had up to 41 birds overflying on five occasions. Manningham Park again produced a good count, with 25 in early January, and Lindley Wood Reservoir’s maximum was 15 birds, the same as Coppice Pond (St. Ives), and one more than the highest count at Silsden Reservoir. Yeadon Tarn, with 12 in November, and the River Aire above Baildon, (ten in December) were the only other sites to feature. A further 29 locations had single-figure counts.
Wharfedale was formerly the Group’s breeding stronghold, but seems now to have to have been overtaken by Airedale. The latter area had breeding successes from Apperley Bridge, Kildwick, Cononley, Marley and Dowley Gap, whereas Wharfedale had two less, at Strid Wood, Burley-in-Wharfedale and Denton. Eight young were also raised in a nest-box at Swinsty.