Even in the short time I’ve lived in Wales, the numbers of Pochard (Aythya ferina) I see each winter have declined, and my observations are confirmed by the facts: Pochards are now red-listed in the UK. According to information in the British Trust for Ornithology’s publication Into the Red, both the breeding and non-breeding populations of these birds have declined as have the ranges both breeding and non-breeding birds occupy, and they are classified as globally threatened by the IUCN (the International Union for Conservation of Nature).

So, it’s always a great pleasure when I do see Pochards on the local lakes and waterways. This male, with his fiery russet head, and female, with the mottled brown plumage that is so typical of female ducks, have been present at Cosmeston Lakes Country Lake this past week.