Tags
birding, birdwatching, British birds, Bucephala clangula, Cardiff Bay birding, diving ducks, female Goldeneye, Goldeneye, male Goldeneye
Local birders have this week been treated to the appearance of a pair of Goldeneyes (Bucephala clangula) in Cardiff Bay, though they have occasionally been elusive, disappearing from their favoured area in the bay behind the Ice Rink for long periods, then reappearing as if by magic. When present, they also dive very frequently, so it’s easy to blink and miss them.
The male is a particularly handsome duck. He looks black in his upper parts and white below, though his head is actually a very dark green, and he has white cheek patches. As is usually the case with ducks, the female is more plain, her body patterned in shades of grey, though the brown colouration of her head is a warm rich hue. Both sexes have the golden-coloured eye they are named for.
earthstar 
In my former home in the Scottish Borders, there was a small lochan (small lake) a very short walk away. During the winter months, this small body of water proved irresistible to vast numbers of birds from overseas, obviously drawn to the warm balmy conditions north of the border! Amongst the visitors were flocks of waterfowl, and in particular, were Goldeneye. I spent many hours observing flocks of up to fifty of them, launching up from the water, flying around in an apparent frenzy, then landing again, more or less from where they took off. Absolute chaos, but what a delight. I do miss them.
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That sounds wonderful and I can certainly understand why you miss them.
p.s. I know the word ‘lochan’, was married for many years to a Scotsman, lived in Scotland a few years. 🙂
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