Long-Tailed Ducks

[gen2]

Did you see Wednesday's WinterWatch? Chris Packham was enthusing over some long-tailed ducks at Aberdeen harbour. Imagine my surprise when today (Friday), I went down to my local harbour (Kirkcaldy) and there right in front of me was a male long-tailed duck! The first I have seen up close although I had a tentative ID on a distant one a couple of years ago. Today's image will be found here:
http://www.blipfoto.com/entry/2663986

To complete the sighting, I photographed a female long-tailed duck that had surprisingly appeared on an inland loch in November (They are predominantly deep seawater ducks).
http://www.blipfoto.com/entry/2459719

Maybe others should check out their local harbours more often.

My local harbour also had mallard, eider and goldeneyes today.

[mazie]

Great pictures gen....I would love a harbour....

Have had the long tailed tits and the fieldfair in the garden this past week, they were stunning. About 30 long tails and 20 fieldfare...So I'm a happy bunny

[gen2]

You are lucky Mazie.
I've never had more than 6 l-t tits at a time and no fieldfares though I've had several redwings in the past when I had a large holly tree (it became a victim of a gale)

[Chipchopper]

Hi, The question I'd like to raise to any experts out there is : Are long tailed ducks, the same species as the Pintail ?

[plowter]

Nice pictures, gen2. Long tailed ducks are pretty common around the Fife coast in winter. Have a look around the Leven to Crail area.

Chipchopper, pintails are a different species - they're a fair bit bigger. Tend to find them on ponds and wetlands rather than on the coast.