I saw what I thought was a redcrested pochard today swimming in the River Mersey in South Manchester, but had a large white neck whereas all the photos I have previously seen have no white band between the head and the front. I assume it was still a red crested pochard.
Very far away but looks more like a Goosander, shape colour all point to Goosander
John :-)
For viewing or photography right place right time is everything. I'd rather be in the right place with poor kit than have the best kit and be in the wrong place.
Hi Tezza,
I would totally agree with John. Looks like a Goosander on bill size and colour.
I have tried enlarging your photo for a better view, but still can't get a really good look!
Hope this helps.
Regards Buzzard
Nature Is Amazing - Let Us Keep It That Way
Hi there
I agree it looks like a Goosander.
They always seen to have their necks well folded back in an 'S' shape over their backs. It makes them look although they have a stubby neck.
The beak gives it away too.
They have the Sawbill beak too and that is distinctive on any pictures.
Regards
Kathy and Dave
Hi,
the bird is a Goosander, too small an image to see face pattern and decide if female or immature.:)) The head shape, back colour and general shape all eliminate red breasted merganser.
S
Please state the nature of the birding emergency
Here is another picture of a couple of Goosanders taken from my Inverness trip recently, and you can see the detail on these ones slightly better.
To be honest I thought these birds where Megansers at first until I was corrected.
If you have a good look at a Pochard they are very different. They do not have a Sawbill, a head crest that gives them a scruffy look. Pochard are much smaller. They also have a lot more white on their bodies.
Nice pic - you can even see the white striped face of the juv on the right :))
Lousy photo but nonetheless a pochard. Taken at Grange over Sands, Cumbria, last week
Cheers, Linda.
See my photos on Flickr
Yup:))
no denying that one is an RCP :))
RCP ??? Is that Red Crested Pochard? Forgive me but I am a bit dim!
Sparrow RCP ??? Is that Red Crested Pochard? Forgive me but I am a bit dim!
Hi Sparrow, welcome to the forums.
The RCP abbreviation relating to your photo does stands for Red Crested Pochard.
Hope that helps
Thanks Buzzard.