single wigeon with a small group of mallard

[eve miles]

Hi there - has anyone ever seen a single wigeon with a small group of mallard ducks? I don't know a great deal about birds (am learning) but I thought that wigeon tended to gather in large flocks, and last thursday I saw a single wigeon with 4 - 8 mallard ducks (dispersed into 2 groups) on the river Thame next to the bridge on the old Long Crendon road in Thame, near St Mary's church. The mallards were behaving aggressively and chasing it away when food was on offer and it was very submissive, so looked as though it had just 'tagged on'. I was v surprised to see a wigeon there anyway, but I checked several sources and confirmed that it was indeed a wigeon, though on past visits to this bit of the river I have generally seen just mallards and moorhens, and a grey heron sometimes, including thursday. If any insight can be offered it would be much appreciated! Thanks.

[aeshna5]

Wigeon are social birds + can occur in huge flocks. I was at Welney today + there were thousands as the Ouse Washes is one of the top sites in the UK for them.

In inland areas smaller flocks occur, for instance on the London reservoirs/lakes a few dozen or couple of hundred at most will occur in the winter. Occasionally birds may get separated + will then tag along with their closest relations- in this case some Mallard.

Your bird may well be a genuine wild bird that's just been separated from it's kind or possibly even an escape from a collection, though I would suspect the former.

[eve miles]

thanks so much for the information - really useful to know. The wigeon is still there this week with the mallards - looks like he may have 'lost the flock' and will staying with the distinctly stand-offish mallards!