Common Pochard/Poiseard ciordhearg (Aythya ferina)

Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com

The common pochard (Aythya ferina) is a medium-sized diving duck. The adult male has a long dark bill with a grey band, a red head and neck, a black breast, red eyes and a grey back. The adult female has a brown head and body and a narrower grey bill-band. The triangular head shape is distinctive. Pochards are superficially similar to the closely related North American redhead and canvasback. heir breeding habitat consists of marshes and lakes with a metre or more water depth.

Pochards breed in much of temperate and northern Europe and across the Palearctic. They are migratory, and spend winter in the south and west of Europe.

In the British and Irish Isles, birds breed in eastern England and lowland Scotland, in small numbers in Northern Ireland with numbers increasing gradually, and sporadically in the Republic of Ireland, where it may also be increasing. While uncommon, individuals are also occasionally seen in the south of England, and small populations are sometimes observed on the River Thames. Large numbers stay overwinter in Ireland and Great Britain, after the birds retreat from Russia and Scandinavia.

These birds feed mainly by diving or dabbling. They eat aquatic plants with some molluscs, aquatic insects and small fish. (Birdwatch Ireland; Wikipedia)

This adult male was on the main lake of Dublin Zoo, where it successfully fledged 5 young Pochard with one of the female Pochard there. A rare breeding species in Ireland. Great to see. Tough to photograph into the sun near the middle of the day.

Taken in: Ireland / Leinster / Islandbridge (show map)

Taken on: May 12, 2024

Tags:

Europe

Ireland

Dublin Zoo

Mark

Topic

Wildlife

Irish Birds

Birds

Mark Carmody

markcarmodyphotography.com

markcarmodyphotography

CarmoPolis

CarmoPolice

Carmody

Carmo

Camera

Sony

SEL200600G

200-600mm

ILCE-9M2

A9II

200-600 G OSS FE 5.6-6.3

books

Shorebirds of Ireland

Freshwater Birds of Ireland

Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide

Birds of Ireland

Bird

Waterfowl

Diving Duck

Pochard

Aythya ferina

Póiseard cíordhearg

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Sets appears in: • Birds of Ireland

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Camera: Sony ILCE-9M2, f/9.0, 1/800 sec, 840mm, ISO 500 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Sony ILCE-9M2
Lens:	Sony FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G) + 1.4X Teleconverter (SEL14TC)
Aperture:	f/9.0
Exposure Time:	0.001 sec (1/800)
Focal Length:	840mm
ISO:	500
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Manual
Exposure Mode:	Manual
Metering Mode:	Center-weighted average
White Balance:	Auto
Saturation:	Low
Sharpness:	Hard
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Software:	Capture One 23 Macintosh
Show full info

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