I thought that the goldeneye on the river had departed with the last snow but I guess not as I saw them again the other day! Oddly there is a moorhen hanging around as well, not really a place I would consider moorhen to be as there isn't much in the way of vegetation in the river at all that they would hide among and he seems to spend most of his time pressed up against the bank that has been undercut by the flood earlier in the winter. No sign of the dippers over the last few days but the goosander have been evident with the male looking particularly handsome at the moment, and no doubt a happy fella as he has no less than five females and he the only male I've seen around!
Millie & Fly the Border Collies
I saw my first goldeneye today - as far as I know. )This time last year it would have been designated "an unusual duck".) I saw a pair on the main rowing lake at the National Water Sports Centre near Nottingham. Watched them for a long time. Diving separately and surfacing near to each other.
Hi Diogenes,
The goldeneye are new visitors to the river for me too, they appeared a couple of months ago when there was all the bad snow and I'd never seen any along that stretch of the river until then. I was surprised to see them still around as I thought they'd gone back to wherever they came from but I guess not! The two always seem to be together as well, sometimes they join the goosanders or mallards. There have been a few newcomers to the river this winter!
Kat
I'm afraid I couldn't tell a goosander from a gazzunder yet. Learning slowly, though.
I'd post a photo I have of one but I don't have one on my computer at the moment! They are very pretty (if not always well-liked...) birds and I love seeing them on the river. They have a long, serrated bill that has a hook at the end for catching fish and the males have a dark green head and bright while belly and sides. Very handsome birds :-)