More from Scaling Dam

The "other" Long-tailed Duck finally gave itself up today - mostly due to me covering the Yorkshire end with some care - as opposed to a cursory glance which has been more usual of late. The male was also present, way out in the middle and consorting with the usual 3 Goldeneye. In fact both birds were visible from the Northumbrian Water building but this one required a bit of imagination. Why do they not associate? To my knowledge they have never been seen together.

I'm always interested in the jizz thing. Goldeneye have a very distinctive dive - they way they leave the surface, quite different from Tufted Duck, which at Scaling is the main confusion species at range. Long-tailed Duck also "goes under" in a very distinctive manner. Interesting how 1/4 of a duck disappearing beneagth the waves is identifiable at considerable range with at least 99% accuracy. That combination of details that is distinctive.