They are pretty widespread now. Breeding populations popping up all over the place, presumably all of them were escapes to begin with.
1 Like
Yup…no doubt a descendant of an escaped ornamental garden convict…given the providence the locals have named him ‘Bruce’ 
beautiful bird up close
1 Like
6 Likes
Quite probably my favourite bird 
1 Like
2 Likes
I was expecting the chick to do that while he had it upside down, checking it’s feet, straight into his face.
2 Likes
That was lovely to watch.
1 Like
Bunch of self centred cunts that think seeing a rare bird is worth risking lives.
I have no time for them, maybe 6 months in jail would be better than a fine.
There were MANY more than five that did it btw. Bastards.
5 Likes
This is great news, however enforcing the protection may not be as successful as I would hope.
https://twitter.com/BirdingBeijing/status/1362000618395635713?s=20
These birds used to be almost annual vagrants to the UK with one or two being recorded each year. The hunting of them in China (to EAT, ffs) grew to such an extent that their population was declining at such a rate that extinction within our lifetime was a real possibility. Some have estimated a 95% reduction in population.
I am almost certainly the last person to see one in Britain - a record I will be very happy to lose if the new protection status succeeds.
6 Likes
A pair of these Red Crested Pochard in Kew today.
Visitors probably but could be escapees.
4 Likes
Very nice pic!
Almost certainly from the feral breeding population (existing as a result of breeding escapees) Highly unlikely to be migrants/winter visitors.
2 Likes
I had to double check the date on this story, thought it must have been April 1st.
FFS, I don’t know where to start…
By not looking at the Fail.
anyone got an idea? Crap photo from my next door neighbour. Apparently this spent some time perching in their garden this afternoon.
Sparrowhawk? Hard to tell.
that was my guess - and we do see them from time to time around here
I wonder whether the bird would have preferred to remain unnoticed
2 Likes
Probably!
It might just help to put pressure on the authorities to do something positive about deforestation, although I doubt it.
1 Like