25.11.07

Visit from a Long Tailed Duck!

A juvenile Long Tailed Duck made a surprising visit to Parc Cwm Darran Lake on the 6th November 2007 and stayed for around two weeks. It is the first record ever for Caerphilly County Borough and second record ever for Glamorgan!

The long tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis) is a small, neat sea duck. The males tend to be mainly white in colour with some brownish-black markings and an elongated tail. The females are browner and in flight show all dark wings and white bellies. They do not breed in the UK but are a winter visitor and passage migrant to the UK. They are mostly found wintering in northern Scotland, Shetland and Orkney feeding on mussels, cockles, clams, crabs and small fish