#Tichfield Haven Nature Reserve

Water off a ducks back.

/ Andy Finnegan / 2 Comments

The saying is said to originate in the 1800s. It comes from the literal characteristic that ducks feathers have for resisting water. If you have ever observed a duck, you may have noticed that no matter how often the duck dives under the water, it comes back up looking quite dry and water rolls off of them.

Male Mallard.

Northern shoveler. (male)

Northern shoveler. (female)

Shellduck.

The phrase “A nice day for ducks” is a pejorative expression used to describe a rainy day that can only be seen as being positive by those living things, like ducks, that enjoy a watery environment.

Avocet.

/ Andy Finnegan / 4 Comments

Avocets have started to arrive here on the South Coast. Ist photographs of these beautiful birds this year.

You will note one of the birds is ringed. Info sent to ringer – below is their reply.

Thanks for the sighting of GB/BG.

I ringed this bird as a chick in June 2014 at Needs Ore Reserve (beside the Beaulieu River estuary).

Since then it has spent most of its time at Titchfield and Farlington. However, it was seen over the winter of 2017-18 at Poole Harbour in Dorset.

In the summer of 2018 it bred at Titchfield and since then there have been summer and winter sightings of it at Titchfield, suggesting it now spends most of its time there.