Recording and Publishing Data on our Wildlife
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Swans, Geese, Ducks and Gamebirds |
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Mute Swan |
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| Bewick's Swan Common but declining winter visitor. Some found with the Whoopers at Martin Mere but best seen on the Fylde. |
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| Whooper Swan Common and increasing winter visitor. By far the major concentration occurring at Martin Mere WWT. |
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| Bean Goose Uncommon winter visitor. Odd birds can occasionally be found amongst the throngs of Pink-feet with patience. |
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| Pink-footed Goose Abundant winter visitor. Found in large concentrations from mid September to April on the mosses of west Lancashire. |
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| White-fronted Goose Uncommon winter visitor. Mostly Russian birds find there way to Lancashire but rarely are there double figures. Occasional Greenland birds turn up. |
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| Lesser White-fronted Goose Vagrant. Four records pre-1986. Since then there were a total of four birds all in 1991 seen at Martin Mere WWT, the Lune Estuary (2) and at various sites across the county. |
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| Greylag Goose Scarce feral breeder and uncommon winter visitor. Main feral breeding populations at Leighton Moss and Martin Mere WWT. |
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| Snow Goose Vagrant. This species is seen most years but there is always some doubt over whether they are genuine wild birds. |
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| Canada Goose Fairly common breeder and common winter visitor. |
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| Barnacle Goose Uncommon winter visitor and scarce feral breeder. |
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| Brent Goose Uncommon winter visitor. Normally the dark-bellied race (bernicla) is recorded but there are occasional pale-bellied (hrota) individuals and once, a Black Brant (American/eastern Russian subspecies) |
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| Egyptian Goose Occasional escapes recorded. |
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| Ruddy Shelduck Rare visitor. These are usually considered as escapes. |
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| Shelduck Abundant winter visitor to the coast and estuaries. Fairly common breeder. Scarce in the east where it is an occasional breeder. |
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| Mandarin Regular feral birds recorded, especially around Rufford. |
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| Wigeon Abundant winter visitor, especially on the Ribble Marshes. Fairly common on some reservoirs in the east. |
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| American Wigeon Vagrant but becoming quite regular. Three records up to 1985 and then MMWWT had one in 1989, 3 in 1990, 2 in 1992 and one in 1993. Also singles at Seaforth in 1990, Carnforth Marsh in 1994, Marshside in 1996, Heysham in 1997 and Leighton Moss in 1998. In 1999 there was a single at Heysham and in 2000 there were three singles at Leighton moss, Marshside and Pilling. There were no records in 2001 but in 2002, drakes were present on the Ribble and Morecambe Bay. |
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| Gadwall Fairly common in winter when supplemented by immigrants. Rare in the east of the county. Scarce feral breeding populations especially in the south-west and north. |
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| Teal Abundant winter visitor in the west. Small flocks in the east. Scarce breeding bird. |
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| Green-winged Teal Rare winter visitor with most records from MMWWT and coastal sites though recently there have been a couple of records in the east of the county at Stocks Reservoir. |
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| Mallard Abundant winter visitor and common breeding resident. |
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| Pintail Common winter visitor to coasts, especially on the Ribble. Six breeding records. |
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| Garganey Uncommon visitor on spring and autumn passage; rare in the east. Rare breeder. Vagrant in winter. |
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| Blue-winged Teal Vagrant. Two records up to 1985 and only one since at MMWWT in 1992. |
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| Shoveler Common winter visitor to west and north of the county. Scarce breeder. |
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| Red-crested Pochard Category D. A few birds recorded almost annually. |
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| Ring-necked Duck Vagrant. 2 records up to 1985, then 2 or 3 birds in the intervening period (regular returning or wandering individuals). There was a dearth of records in recent years but one at Rivington Reservoirs in 2003 broke the duck (sic). |
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| Ferruginous Duck Vagrant. Several records with the latest being at MMWWT during the winter of 2003/4. Twelve records accepted so far with a couple still to be submitted. |
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| Tufted Duck Common winter visitor, particularly to the south and west. Uncommon breeder. |
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| Scaup Uncommon winter visitor to coasts. Occasional records inland. |
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| Lesser Scaup Vagrant. First and only record at Dockacres/Pine Lake in 1994/5 |
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| Eider Common winter visitor, especially to north Fylde. Uncommon in the south. Rare breeder. Very rare inland. |
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| Harlequin Duck One old record pre-1985. |
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| Long-tailed Duck Uncommon winter visitor to coasts. Scarce on inland waters. |
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| Common Scoter Common in winter. Present all year off Blackpool and Formby. Scarce on inland waters. Recent surveys show a large population on Shell Flat off Blackpool. |
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| Surf Scoter Vagrant. One very old record when one was shot on the Ribble marshes in 1882. One record in recent times - a male for one afternoon at Mere Sands Wood in 2002. |
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| Velvet Scoter Uncommon in winter, often with Common Scoter flocks. |
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| Goldeneye Common winter visitor. Stronghold is Morecambe Bay. Former feral breeder at Mere Sands Wood from the mid 1980's to late 1990's. |
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| Smew Uncommon winter visitor. |
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| Red-breasted Merganser Fairly common winter visitor to coasts. Commonest in the north. Scarce inland though regular at Stocks reservoir. Scarce breeder. |
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| Goosander Fairly common winter visitor to the east. Uncommon on the coast and in the south-west. Uncommon breeder. |
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| Ruddy Duck Fairly common post-breeding and winter visitor. Scarce feral breeder. |
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| Red Grouse Lagopus lagopus scotica Fairly common breeding resident |
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| Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa Fairly common breeding resident. Population supplemented by regular releases in most areas. |
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| Grey Partridge Perdix perdix Common but declining resident in the south and west |
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| Quail Coturnix coturnix Scarce summer visitor to lowland areas, occasional influxes. |
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| Pheasant Phasianus colchicus Abundant on or near keepered estates, fairly common elsewhere |
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Registered Charity No 500685