Duck ID plus one

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

I have two ID's please one photo and one discription.

I've looked in the Gallery briefly and could see nothing like this one, so I'll guess that it is somesort of fancy duck, it's been at the LNR since my first visit in August.



My other sighting from this morning, and I think it's probably a water rail, but I've never seen one before. It took off and flew away from me, and my first thought was that it was a thrush, same size, colour and markings. But when it landed it had a long orange/red beek and long legs, not sure of there colour. My limited bird book would suggest a water rail but I'm not sure because as I said I've never seen one before.

Thanks in advance for any replies

BWD

[KeenTeen17]

I think its a weird mallard that has features of farm ducks mixed in

[snake]

Hi BWd,
The duck is what I refer to as a half chat, its an interbred Mallard.
The other bird you describe sounds as though it could be a Redshank.

[Gill Catton]

yes domestic mallard breed,

what habitat were you in when you saw the possible rail (and more to the point what habitat was it in!!)

[epops]

karki cambell x summat?

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

Originally Posted by snake

Hi BWd,
The duck is what I refer to as a half chat, its an interbred Mallard.
The other bird you describe sounds as though it could be a Redshank.

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

yes domestic mallard breed,

what habitat were you in when you saw the possible rail (and more to the point what habitat was it in!!)

Is this a female mallard as it has none of the colours of a male. I show my ignorance even more and ask why interbreed mallards and with what? Is this a modern breed or one that has progressed from years and years ago.

The possible rail was at Rooksbury Mill. A combination of chalk stream and flooded gravel pit. There are mature trees although I don't think it counts as woodland. The sighting was on the stream and he (or she) flew from reeds on one side into mature trees on the other.

Looking at the redshank in my book it could have been, but I was drawn by the red bill and not the red legs. My book shows the redshank as quite upright and the waterrail as squat, and I can't for the life of me remember what mine was. I don't remember red legs though.
Another visit next weekend then

BWD

[Ferret]

Billy
Mallards have been selectively breed over hundreds of years into probably hundreds of variety’s some for there looks, some for meat and some for eggs, these then get mixed up on the farmyard pond and escape to local duck ponds where they all breed together and breed back with there wild mallard ancestors the result is an almost limitless variety if colours and shapes. This bird I think is a female as at this time of the year most Mallard type drakes will show some upturned curly feather just above the tail.

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by Billy Wobble Dagger

Is this a female mallard as it has none of the colours of a male. I show my ignorance even more and ask why interbreed mallards and with what? Is this a modern breed or one that has progressed from years and years ago.

The possible rail was at Rooksbury Mill. A combination of chalk stream and flooded gravel pit. There are mature trees although I don't think it counts as woodland. The sighting was on the stream and he (or she) flew from reeds on one side into mature trees on the other.

Looking at the redshank in my book it could have been, but I was drawn by the red bill and not the red legs. My book shows the redshank as quite upright and the waterrail as squat, and I can't for the life of me remember what mine was. I don't remember red legs though.
Another visit next weekend then

BWD

I think the fact that it was flying from reeds to mature tree and scrub would suggest to me its a water rail, redshank seem to prefer quite open habitats.

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

Thank you all, another day of learning courtesy of the WAB members.

BWD

[Hobjob]

Google "manky mallards" and I'm sure on that website you will find you friend above