Red-Crested Pochard (Netta rufina)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Netta ("duck") rufina ("golden-red")

 Adult male Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina) at Laguna Navaseca, Spain - April 2016

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 1000-1100g  /  Length: 57cm  /  Wingspan: 85-90cm

NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Like the Mandarin and Ruddy duck, the Red-crested pochard is another species that has established itself after escaping from wildfowl collections. It is however a little more tricky than that in that it doesn't seem as well established, and indeed the feral population to some degree seems to mingle with the captive one in some places, confusing matters for all concerned.  The original populations are from Africa and Asia.  The current picture is of a wild individual taken in Laguna Navaseca in Spain where the species is a natural resident.

Related Species:
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Netta
Subspecies: none - monotypic

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Rare feral breeding species (10-21 pairs) and feral Winter visitor (320 birds)

 - Feral birds seen at Regent's Park.

SPAIN - Spanish - Pato Colorado ("Red Duck")
Reasonably numerous resident.

 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Fairly numerous at Laguna Navaseca.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

.

Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus)

OTHER NAMES: Western Water Rail
Latin Etymology: Rallus (latinized form of rail) aquaticus ("water living")

 Adult Water Rail (subspecies R. a. aquaticus) at Regent's Park, London - December 2009

Featured Subspecies: Rallus aquaticus aquaticus
Weight: 92-164g  /  Length: 23-28cm  /  Wingspan: 38-45cm

UK GREEN LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concerned

The water rail is a secretive relative of the moorhen and coot which favours living in reed beds. It really is far more shy than it's more common neighbors, and thus is quite possibly under recorded. It is smaller than both, with a long thin red beak and a grey and brown colour scheme. Best views are achieved when they don't know you are there, as when alerted to your presence they slip straight back into vegetation.  It is probably easiest to see Water Rails in Winter - at this point food is scarcer and reeds die back, forcing them into the open more often.


Related Species:
Order: Gruiformes
Family: Rallidae
Genus: Rallus
Subspecies: R. a. hibernans, R. a. aquaticus, R. a. korejewi

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Common to Locally abundant Breeding Resident (9000 pairs) and Common Winter Visitor (41000 birds)

 - Birds seen in Rutland Water,Rainham Marshes, Regent's Park and Kettering.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopus major)

OTHER NAMES: Pied Woodpecker, Greater Spotted Woodpecker

Latin Etymology: Dendrocopus ("tree striking") major ("greater")

Left: Adult female Great Spotted Woodpecker (subspecies D. m. pinetorum) at Warnham, Sussex - March 2015

Right: Adult male Great Spotted Woodpecker (subspecies D. m. japonicus) at Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan - December 2014

Featured Subspecies: Dendrocopus major pinetorum AND Dencrocopus major japonicus

Weight: 70-90g  /  Length: 22-23cm  /  Wingspan: 34-39cm

UK GREEN LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Great Spotted Woodpecker is a relatively common bird which will sometimes come into gardens. It has distinctive colouration making it easy to spot (compare against the much more difficult to see Lesser Spotted Woodpecker) and hearing a loud tapping call in woodland will very often mean that either this species or the Green Woodpecker will be near. Most easy to photograph at bird tables, or failing that, in Winter when there are no leaves on the trees to block views.  They are found right across Eurasia and I also encountered this species in the centre of the town of Kushiro in Hokkaido.

Related Species:

Order: Piciformes

Family: Picidae

Genus: Dendrocopus

Subspecies: D. m. major, D. m. pinetorum, D. m. harterti, D. m. hispanus, D. m. canariensis, D. m. D. m thanneri, D. m. maurittanus, D. m. numidus, D. m. poelzami, D. m. brevirostris, D. m. kamtschaticus, D. m japonicus, D. m. cabansi

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Common breeding resident (140,000 pairs)

 - Birds seen at a large number of sites often at feeders, including but not limited to Rutland Water, Regent's Park and Geddington.

JAPAN - Japanese - アカゲラ  /  Aka-gera ("Red Woodpecker")

A fairly widespread resident.

 - TOKYO/HOKKAIDO 2014 TRIP: A single bird seen in Kushiro.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red , RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

.

Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Fringilla ("finch") coelebs ("unmarried")

Top Left: Adult Male Chaffinch (subspecies F. c. gengleri) at Geddington, Northants - August 2013

Top Right: Adult Male Chaffinch (subspecies F. c. balearica) at Monfrague National Park, Spain - April 2016

Bottom: Adult Female Chaffinch (subspecies F. c. gengleri) at Geddington, Northants - September 2013

Featured Subspecies: Fringilla coelebs gengleri and Fringilla coelebs balearica

Weight: 18-29g  /  Length: 14.5cm  /  Wingspan: 24.5-28.5cm

UK GREEN LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

By far the most common member of the finch family in the UK, The Chaffinch is very widely spread and very easily seen both in urban and rural settings. It is a very common bird-table species and comes readily to feeders. In some cafes I've been to it is bold enough to come and take crumbs off of plates when you sit outside. It can also sometimes be found in reasonably large flocks on fields, particularly during the Winter when it may associate with other seed eating birds.  In Spain it is less common than in the UK, but seemingly still widely spread.

Related Species: 
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Fringillidae
Genus: Fringilla
Subspecies: F. c. coelebs, F. c. gengleri, F. c. balearica, F. c. sarda, F. c. schiebeli, F. c. syriaca, F. c. solomkoi, F. c. alexandrovi, F. c. transcaspica, F. c. africana, F. c. spodiogenys, F. c. moreletti, F. c. maderensis, F. c. canariensis, F. c. ombriosa, F. c. palmae     

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Abundant breeding species (6,200,000 territories)

 - Birds seen at many locations regularly, including but not limited to Geddington, Rutland Water, Pitsford Reservoir, Rainham Marshes, Regent's Park and Padstow. In Winter often particularly abundant with large flocks of hundreds on farmland.

SPAIN - Spanish - Pinzón Vulgar ("Common Finch")

 Breeding resident.  

 - SEVILLE 2011 TRIP: Seen at El Rocio (feeding with sparrows)      

 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Seen at Monfrague National Park (one singing male)      

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)

OTHER NAMES: Shoveler

Latin Etymology: Anas ("duck") clypeata ("shield bearing")

Juvenile Northern Shoveller (Anas clypeata) at Kensington Gardens, London - March 2010

Mixed group of adult Northern Shoveller (Anas clypeata) with Grey Plover and Common Teal at Oare Marshes, Kent - January 2013

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 600g  /  Length: 48cm  /  Wingspan: 76cm
UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Shoveler is probably one of my favourite ducks, it has a lovely colour scheme combined with that comically enormous bill that it uses to filter the water for small invertebrates using filter like structures on the inside of the beak.   They are also one of the largest ducks in Europe, making them fairly distinctive for that alone.  While they will be most numerous on invertebrate rich and fairly undisturbed bodies of water, you can actually get some close views of them in certain city parks of them if you are lucky.

Related Species: 

Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Anas 
Subspecies: none - monotypic

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Scarce breeding species (300-1000 pairs) and locally common Wintering species (18,000 birds)

 - Birds seen at sites including Rutland Water, Rainham Marshes, Regent's Park, Kensington Gardens, Pitsford Reservoir and Eyebrook Reservoir.

SPAIN - Scarce and Local Resident

 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: A few seen at Laguna Navaseca.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

.

Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)

OTHER NAMES: Moorhen

Latin Etymology: Gallinula ("little chicken") chloropus ("green foot")

                                          Adult Common Moorhen (subspecies G. c. chloropus) in Kensington Gardens, London

Featured Subspecies: Gallinula chloropus chloropus

Weight: 250-400g  /  Length: 30-35cm  /  Wingspan: 50-55cm

UK GREEN LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Moorhens are one of the most ever present waterbirds in the UK - a species regularly encountered on bodies of water ranging from small rivers to large bodies of water, though generally sticking to margins.  It is smaller than the coot, and is much more vibrant - with a red and yellow beak and plumage with warm brown tones and white markings in contrast to the stark black and white found on the other species.  Though they can be found in urban settings, they remain a little timid and tend to avoid getting as close as the other equally common waterbirds like mallard and canada goose.

Related Species:
Order: Gruiformes
Family: Rallidae
Genus: Gallinula
Subspecies: G. c. chloropus, G. c. meridionalis, G. c. pyrrhorrhoa, G. c. orientalis, G. c. guami

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Common Breeding Species (270,000 pairs) and Winter Migrant (approx. 330,000 birds) of lakes and rivers.

 - Birds seen commonly at many river and wetland locations including Rutland Water, Rainham Marshes, Regent's Park, Kensington Gardens, Pitsford Reservoir, Ditchford Gravel Pits and Eyebrook Reservoir. Resident on the river in Geddington.

SPAIN - Spanish - Gallinula

Scarce and Local Resident

 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Several seen at Laguna Navaseca    

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

OTHER NAMES: Canadian Goose, Tundra Goose, Ring-neck Goose

Latin Etymology: Branta (Old Norse for burnt) canadensis ("of Canada")

Two feral adult Canada Goose (Branta canadensis - unknown subspecies) at London Wetland Center, London - June 2018

Featured Subspecies: *unknown*

Weight: 2.5-6.5kg  /  Length: 75-110cm  /  Wingspan: 130-180cm

NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Canada Geese are by far one of the easiest species to see in the UK. After Mallard, they are probably the most easily seen waterbird in the country. They will be present at most lakes of any notable size. The only limiting factor is that they do have localised habitat (water) as opposed to being present across habitats, although it isn't uncommon to see and/or hear them flying over in the distinctive 'V' formation or birds across countryside while travelling between sites.

As with many park based waterbirds, they can be encouraged to come very close through giving them feed. Quite often they may approach of their own volition, possibly in case you do have something to give them, although obviously be careful about aggression in this case. Either way they are a very easy species to photograph.

Related Species:

Order: Anseriformes

Family: Anatidae

Genus: Branta
Subspecies: B. c. moffitti, B. c. interior, B. c. canadensis, B. c. maxima, B. c. occidentalis, B. c. fulva, B. c. parvipes    

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Common feral resident (62,000 pairs) and common Winter visitor (190,000 birds)

 - Birds seen at sites including but not limited to Rutland Water, Rainham Marshes, Regent's Park, Kensington Gardens, Pitsford Reservoir, Ditchford Gravel Pits, Eyebrook Reservoir and Geddington.

UNITED STATES 
Breeds in Northern States, migrating to South Coast ones, resident in coastal California
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at San Francisco 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

.

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Anas ("duck") platyrhynchos ("broad billed")

Adult male Mallard (subspecies A. p. platyrhynchos) at Geddington, Northants - April 2010

Featured Subspecies: Anas platyrhynchos platyrhynchos
Weight: 700-1600g  /  Length: 50-65cm  /  Wingspan: 81-98cm

UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The mallard is almost certainly the most recognisable duck in the UK, if not much of the wider world, and is also the most common. It can be found on many rivers, ponds, lakes and assorted other bodies of water - it also is likely to be easily bribed to very close views by use of feed if in a public sort of location where they are used to humans.  It is also the genetic base stock of almost all domestic ducks, and as such you will likely also encounter a lot of "muddy mallards" - ones where various domestic breeds have bred together producing some fairly variable result.

Related Species:
Order: Anseriformes 
Family: Anatidae 
Genus: Anas
Subspecies: A. p. platyrhynchos, A. p. conboschas, A. p. diazi  

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Locally abundant breeding resident (61,000-146,000 pairs) and common Winter visitor (719,000 birds)

 - Birds seen at sites including but not limited to Rutland Water, Rainham Marshes, Regent's Park, Kensington Gardens, Pitsford Reservoir, Ditchford Gravel Pits, Eyebrook Reservoir and Geddington.

JAPAN - Japanese - マガモ / Ma-gamo ("True Wildduck")

A fairly common resident.

 - KYOTO 2013 TRIP: A few seen on the Kamo River in Central Kyoto.

UNITED STATES 
Found throughout.
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen in  Berkeley

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

.

Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)

OTHER NAMES: Summer Snipe, Sand Lark

Latin Etymology: Actitis ("coast-dweller") hypoleucos ("beneath white")

Adult Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) at Laguna Navaseca, Spain - April 2016

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 41-56g  /  Length: 18-20cm  /  Wingspan: 32-35cm

UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Despite the name, I wouldn't personally actually describe the Common Sandpiper as all that common - by the standards of waders it is about middling, but probably more thinly distributed than species which prefer the coast. Sandpipers in general I've often found to be relatively willing to come near to the front of hides at least which should offer some reasonably good photo opportunities.  The key with Common Sandpipers is differentiating them from the very similar Green Sandpiper - note the extend of the white chest, which in the green sandpiper stops before the shoulders.

Related Species:

Order: Charadriiformes

Family: Scolopacidae

Genus: Actitis

Subspecies: none - monotypic

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Common to Locally abundant Breeding Resident (9000 pairs) and Common Winter Visitor (41000 birds)

 - Birds seen at Rutland Water, Rainham Marshes, Regent's Park and Pitsford Reservoir.

SINGAPORE 

A common Winter visitor and pasage migrant.

 - SINGAPORE/CAMBODIA 2019 TRIP: Single bird at Lower Pierce Reservoir.

SPAIN - Spanish - Andarríos chico ("Boy Sandpiper")

Scarce and Local Resident

 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Seen at Laguna Navaseca.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

.