There were no successful breeding attempts this year. All three nests at Otley Gravel Pits were predated.
On the whole it was an extremely poor year numbers wise, all sites were a shadow of their former selves from previous years. A flock of 68 at Knotford Nook was the highest count received, but that wasn’t maintained even allowing for birds to traverse between there and Otley Gravel Pits. The other stronghold, Chelker Reservoir, also failed to attract consistently large numbers with 65 being the highest count in August.

Breeding occurred at two sites. The first, Otley Wetland, had at least two nests, though, once again, three pairs over- summered. The second, Marley Sewage Works, had a female with eight young on 14th August.
Another poor year overall for numbers, though the maximum managed to reach three figures, with about 100 at Chelker Reservoir on 7th August. Away from the four sites shown below, winter flocks comprising double figures were recorded at only five other locations: Silsden and Hewenden Reservoirs, Manningham Park, Redcar Tarn and a private site.

This species seems to be showing a general downward trend. Numbers in Wharfedale are, by and large, holding up, though they are well down on those of several years ago, and post-breeding flocks seem now to have disappeared from other previous strongholds, notably Chelker Reservoir. Breeding is being maintained at Otley Wetland, but nothing was reported from other previous breeding sites, though, more positively, it took place at a hitherto unused location.

As usual, Knotford Nook and Otley Wetland were the most productive and reliable sites during the winter and passage periods, with the following monthly maxima:

Few other locations got into double figures, and the only places having at least 20 birds were Fewston Reservoir (20), Silsden Reservoir (22), Lister Park (Manningham) (29), Redcar Tarn (24), and Chelker Reservoir (21). Birds were seen on a few occasions in the summer months at Leeshaw Reservoir, Cold Edge Dams and Thornton Moor Reservoir, but these were probably on passage.

As mentioned, breeding took place at Otley Wetland, where three ducklings appear to have fledged, and it is pleasing to report it also occurred at Redcar Tarn, although the seven downy young seen on 14th June seemed to have dwindled to two by the 26th.

This species showed a welcome return to form in 2006. There were 174 reports from 23 locations, more birds generally, evidence of the return of the Chelker Reservoir post-breeding flock, and considerably better breeding success.

Whilst the biggest numbers were, as is now customary, seen in the Otley area, good counts were recorded at a number of other sites, and birds were seen at several which have not featured regularly in the past, if at all : Myrtle Park (Bingley), High Lanshaw Dam, Cononley Ings, Scargill Reservoir, East Riddlesden Hall, Cottingley Manor and Dowley Gap. At the last two sites, birds were seen in the summer months. Around Otley, the monthly maxima at the regular strongholds were:

Some of the first winter period birds remained at the Wetland into May, when there was a maximum count of 20.

In all, there were nearly 100 double-figure counts from across the area, and some sites recorded more than 20 birds on several occasions, in contrast with last year, when there were very few counts of this order, and not many double-figure ones. The more notable winter tallies were in January, when there were 39 birds in Manningham Park, and 30 on Redcar Tarn, and in February, when 40 birds were seen at Silsden Reservoir.

It was pleasing to see post-breeding birds back on Chelker Reservoir, after recent absences, and there was a good total of 60 in July. Non-breeding birds were also seen in July and August at Silsden Reservoir, Thornton Moor Reservoir, Knotford Nook, and Weecher Reservoir, as well as the two sites in the Otley area.

Successful breeding was noted at John o’ Gaunt’s Reservoir, near Myrtle Park, Redcar Tarn and Otley Wetland, with two pairs at the last two sites. In total, at least 29 young were seen, but the fledging success wasn’t specifically noted.

This species continues to be increasingly well-recorded, and this year’s 230 reports are up on 2006, as are the number of locations, though the double-figure counts remain around 100, and breeding data is down.

Birds were present in every month, with records from the summer months at 14 locations, notably Otley Wetland, where up to 20 birds were seen, Knotford Nook, which had up to 17 birds on a few occasions, and Chelker Reservoir, where the now irregular post-breeding flock produced 26 birds. There was surprisingly only one definite breeding record, of three young seen with a female at Redcar Tarn.

As usual, most of the highest counts materialised from Otley Wetland, where there was a seasonal maximum of 61 birds in March (and several other counts in the 40’s and 50’s in the first winter period), 44 in April, 42 in autumn, and the best of several good totals in the final two months was 60 in December.

Of the remaining sites, the more notable counts comprised 42 in January at Redcar Tarn, 40 during the same month at Manningham Park (with between 35 and 39 there at the end of the year), 24 at Lindley Wood Reservoir in April, and 30 at Knotford in January.

This duck’s status in the area is clearly unchanged. At Otley Wetland, several double-figure counts of up to 53 at both ends of the year are in line with recent expectations and there were other notable totals of 39 at Redcar Tarn in March, and 35 at Manningham Park in December. A hybrid present at Redcar Tarn in June showed characteristics of Tufted Duck x Pochard. Birds bred successfully at Redcar Tarn, Kex Gill Quarry, and at John o’ Gaunt’s and Scargill Reservoirs, with 35 young being seen, the best total for eight years.

The ducklings at Redcar Tarn showed notable spirit when, on 21st July, several and the accompanying female singled-out, grabbed the wings and tail of, and successfully up-ended a young Lesser Black-backed Gull, ignoring the other large gulls present.