SHELDUCK
Tadora todorno
Length 55cm
Wingspan 100-120cm
Weight 600-1500g
Population 100,000 birds
The shelduck is a large and distinctive duck found close to the coast all around the U.K. White, with a black, bottle green head and neck , a brown band around its breast and red bill. Both sexes look alike except the male has a knob on top of its bill during the summer. Juvenile shelducks look similar to adults except their colouration is duller.
Shelducks are monogamous and will mate for life. They are sociable birds and will live in large flocks leaving their young chicks in crèches with just one of two adults. Shelducks build their nests from grass and moss and lined with down in caves, tree holes or abandoned rabbit burrows. The female shelduck generally breed first in their second spring, however some males may not breed until they are almost five years old. The shelduck has one single brood per year and the eggs are laid at the end of April in a clutch of between 6 to 10 eggs. The eggs are incubated by the female for around 30 days with the young birds fledging in a further 6 weeks. Around 50% of the young make it water , with only around 10% making it to adults.
The shelduck’s diet consists of invertebrates , small shellfish , aquatic snails and plants. They forage in shallow water by upending and dabbling.
Classified as amber in the UK under birds of concern , as with most wildlife in the UK the shelduck is protected under the wildlife and countryside act , 1981
©️ Wildonline 2020
WILDLIFE – THE DUNNOCK
The Dunnock Dunnocks , Prunella modularis are native to the UK and large areas of Europe with their range spreading as far as Lebanon, northern Iran, and the Caucasus. The ground feeding dunnock’s favoured habitats include woodlands, shrubs, gardens, and hedgerows. The dunnock looks from a distance similar to a house sparrow but the easiest…
REVIEW – KENRO KENTR501C TRIPOD
KENRO KENTR501C TRIPOD Kenro’s web site states the tripods are “manufactured to exacting standards of quality and design” which they back up with a six year guarantee. The tripod is manufactured from eight layers of high quality carbon fibre with aluminium alloy castings giving an impressive load capacity of 14 kg. The four section legs…
HEDGEHOGS
Here’s something a little different , a black and white video of our resident Hedgehogs , now all awake. I don’t think I have posted any clips from the garden for quite a while …… Here’s the full Hedgehog story……. The Hedgehog The European hedgehog , Erinaceus europaeus is not only one of Britain’s favourite…
Now that’s a beautiful duck!
thank you Jo
A very attractive duck! Ducks are wonderful! ❤️
thanks John
Great photos!
I need to get back out with my camera.
Thanks for following.