Baikal Teal (Anas formosa)

OTHER NAMES: Formosa Teal, Spectacled Teal, Bimaculate Duck, Squawk Duck

Latin Etymology: Anas ("duck") formosa ("beautiful")

Adult male Baikal Teal (Sibrionette formosa) at Fen Drayton, Cambridgeshire - April 2014

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 360-520g  /  Length: 68-78cm  /  Wingspan: 65-75cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List - Least Concern

The Baikal Teal is one of the rarest of all ducks to turn up in the UK, on the assumption this individual is accepted (and apparently signs are good for that) it will be only the 6th ever in Britain.  Normally, I'm not much of a twitcher, in regards to rare species outside places I can easily access but in this case I made an exception, the Baikal Teal is in my opinion one of the most attractive duck species, plus I have always found Lake Baikal, the place it is named after, fascinating - the deepest lake in the world which contains 20% of the worlds unfrozen fresh water.  Despite being in the middle of Asia it also has its own seal species.  Anyway as a result I decided to go and see this as having the opportunity to do so, and comparatively near me is very rare.

Related Species:
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Anas
Subspecies: None - monotypic

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - An ultra-rare vagrant, with under seven records ever 

 - A single vagrant male at Fen Drayton .

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

Eurasian Bittern (Botaurus stellaris)

OTHER NAMES: Great Bittern, Bittern

Latin Etymology: Botaurus ("bittern") stellaris ("starred")

  Adult Eurasian Bittern (subspecies B. s. stellaris) at Summer Leys, Northants- September 2023

Featured Subspecies: Botaurus stellaris stellaris

Weight: 865-1900g  /  Length: 64-80cm  /  Wingspan: 100-130cm

UK RED LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

At the time I first saw this species, the Bittern was a fairly tricky species to see, however, it has been getting commoner due to the success of conservation, and can now be seen at an increasing number of locations, particularly in Winter.  It is a large heron, but unlike the other species found in the UK it is very secretive - its camouflage is designed specifically to blend in with their reed-bed habitats - particularly when they maintain they distinctive bolt upright pose.  However, when the bodies of water they are on freeze around the edge, they are often pushed to leave the reeds a bit more, enabling them to be seen more easily.   They are a scarce bird in the UK, but conservation has seen the number of breeding males increase by a significant percentage over the last 10 years.  In the breeding season, it can often be heard if not seen from it's distinctive booming mating call.

Related Species:
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Ardeidae
Genus: Botaurus
Subspecies: B. s. stellaris, B. s. capensis

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A rare breeding resident (80 males) and widespread but rare Winter visitor (600 birds)

 - A single birds seen at Rutland Water in December 2009, Fen Drayton in May 2017 and Summer Leys in September 2023.

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