Green-Winged Teal Anas carolinensis, Nene Washes, 22 March 2002
Video grabs by Brian Stone
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PBC Gallery Green-Winged Teal Anas carolinensis, Nene Washes, 22 March 2002 Video grabs by Brian Stone |
This handsome drake was first seen on 22 March 2002 with a few Common Teal on a small pool near the workshops along the central drove of the Nene Washes RSPB reserve. It was also seen on 24 and 26 March just west of Lord's Holt at the eastern end of the reserve and was relocated here on 16 April.
This is probably the fourth record for the PBC area. The first Green-winged Teal in the area was a drake ringed at Borough Fen Decoy on 9 February 1955. This was recovered in Newfoundland, Canada only a month later, proving the trans-atlantic credentials of this North American species.
The last two records were very recent. A well-watched male that stayed at Ferry Meadows Country Park from 7th to 10th April 2000 and another at March Farmers on the Nene Washes on 4th February 2001. Perhaps it is too much to expect one through the area in early spring every year, but this does make it three in a row.
It is something like the 20th record for Cambridgeshire.
The British Ornithological Union made the surprise decision in 2000 to make Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis) a full species, split from Common Teal (Anas crecca). See www.bou.org.uk/recnews00.html.
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