Pochard (Aythya ferina)
Species
Pochard (Aythya fuligula). Male. Taken at Slimbridge, Gloucs., on November 7th 2023.
Male. Taken at Slimbridge, Gloucs., on November 7th 2023.
(1/800th sec at f8. Click image for larger version. © David Hastings)
Pochard (Aythya fuligula). Leucistic male. Taken at Otmoor, Oxon., on February 18th 2020.
Leucistic male. Taken at Otmoor, Oxon., on February 18th 2020.
(1/1000th sec at f13 . Click image for larger version. © David Hastings)
Pochard (Aythya fuligula). Female. Taken at Farmoor, Oxon., on February 5th 2021.
Female. Taken at Farmoor, Oxon., on February 5th 2021.
(1/400th sec at f8. Click image for larger version. © David Hastings)

Description

L: 42 - 49 cm; WS: 67 - 75 cm

The Pochard is a stocky diving duck. The male is pale grey with a rusty red head and neck, and a black breast and tail. The female is brown with a dark head and blotchy cheeks.

It breeds in eastern England and lowland Scotland, and in small numbers in Northern Ireland, with numbers increasing, perhaps helped by the creation of more gravel pits and reservoirs.

Its breeding habitat is eutrophic lakes and marshes with sufficient open water at least 1m deep.

British breeding birds disperse in winter, some to Europe, and many birds move here in winter from northern and eastern Europe. Over 85000 birds spend the winter here.

This species has amber status on the British list, owing to the small breeding population of around 500 pairs.

Sightings

16-Mar-2024 : Standlake Common, Oxon (4)
15-Mar-2024 : Radley Lakes, Oxon (2)
31-Jan-2024 : Slimbridge, Glos
26-Jan-2024 : Standlake Common, Oxon (1)
16-Jan-2024 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (3)
01-Jan-2024 : Standlake Common, Oxon (28+)

26-Dec-2023 : Standlake Common, Oxon
07-Nov-2023 : Slimbridge, Glos
11-Mar-2023 : Standlake Common, Oxon (6+)
26-Feb-2023 : Standlake Common, Oxon (50+)
19-Feb-2023 : Standlake Common, Oxon (24+)
05-Feb-2023 : Standlake Common, Oxon (13)
01-Feb-2023 : Standlake Common, Oxon (1)
30-Jan-2023 : Otmoor, Oxon (6)
19-Jan-2023 : Slimbridge, Glos
01-Jan-2023 : Standlake Common, Oxon (6m)

26-Dec-2022 : Standlake Common, Oxon (30+)
20-Nov-2022 : Standlake Common, Oxon (28+)
13-Nov-2022 : Standlake Common, Oxon (14)
28-Oct-2022 : Tophill Low, E. Yorks
08-Oct-2022 : Standlake Common, Oxon
26-Jul-2022 : Otmoor, Oxon (1)
30-May-2022 : Otmoor, Oxon (7)
27-Feb-2022 : Standlake Common, Oxon (16m,4f)
24-Feb-2022 : Radley Lakes, Oxon (1)
10-Feb-2022 : Dorchester, Oxon
07-Feb-2022 : Otmoor, Oxon (14)
30-Jan-2022 : Standlake Common, Oxon (14+)
24-Jan-2022 : Radley Lakes, Oxon (8)
09-Jan-2022 : Standlake Common, Oxon
04-Jan-2022 : Radley Lakes, Oxon (20+)
01-Jan-2022 : Radley Lakes, Oxon (12+)

29-Dec-2021 : Radley Lakes, Oxon (12+)
02-Nov-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon (5m)
11-Oct-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon
14-Apr-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon (4)
31-Mar-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon (2m,2f)
25-Mar-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon (5m,2f)
14-Mar-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon (5m)
07-Mar-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon (6m,2f)
28-Feb-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon (5m,2f)
18-Feb-2021 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (1m)
14-Feb-2021 : Standlake Common, Oxon (1m)
05-Feb-2021 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (1f)
31-Jan-2021 : Radley Lakes, Oxon
17-Jan-2021 : Standlake Common, Oxon (14+m)
11-Jan-2021 : Radley Lakes, Oxon (16+)
02-Jan-2021 : Radley Lakes, Oxon (8+m)

15-Dec-2020 : Otmoor, Oxon (1)
14-Mar-2020 : Standlake Common, Oxon (4+)