Diving Ducks

Red-crested Pochard Póiseard Cíordhearg Netta rufina

Rare migrant. Also birds escaped from captivity are seen now and then.

Five county records considered relating to wild birds up to the end of 2020.

1996 Rostellan, a female from the 27th to the 30th October.
1995 Curraghlicky Lake, Drinagh, one from the 21st to the 22nd 1995.
1990 The Lough 1 female early November.
1977 One shot at Youghal, 30th January 1977.
1927 Reendonogan Lake, near Bantry Bay, a male shot on the 29th December.

 

The 1977 bird was ringed and shot and it was ringed 1,650km to the south at
Reserva del Guadiamar, Guadalquivir Delta, Sevilla, Spain.

Global Distribution: A widespread but patchily distributed breeder in west-central and
southern Europe and in Asia.

(Common) Pochard Póiseard (Coitianta) Aythya farina

Locally common in winter. Population decreasing. Rare breeder.

Global Distribution: Iceland, Europe and Asia.

 

Summer Distribution

 

Winter Distribution

Redhead Ceann Rua Aythya americana

Rare vagrant.

One county record up to the end of 2020.
2003 Cape Clear Island, male, 12th to 15th July. This is the 1st Irish record.

Global Distribution: Breeds in central and western North America and winters in southern North America.

Ring-necked Duck Lacha Mhuinceach Aythya collaris

Rare autumn and winter vagrant, with birds sometimes remaining until spring.

Over 50 county records involving at least 77 individuals up to the end of 2020.

First county record was a female on.Lough Skahanagh/Shreelane Lakes, both West Cork, from the 10th February to the 16th March 1974.

Where age was given most were adult males. Most records were of single birds and the highest count was of five at Carrigdrohid Feb/April 1990. Some were considered annual returning birds.
Recorded in all months except July, August and September.

Birds were seen at the following locations: Ballycotton, Cape Clear Island, Carrigadrohid, Charleville Lagoons, Doonisky and The Gearagh, Dunmanway, Gougane barra, Hilltop Hotel Pond (Summerfield, Youghal), Kilcolman NNR, Kilkerran Lake, Lough Aderra, Lough More, Lough Skahanagh/Shreelane Lakes, (West Cork), Mallow Sugar Factory Lagoons. Rostellan Lake, Gullane’s Lough (near Clonakilty), The Gearagh, The Lough and River Lee (Cork City).

Global Distribution: Breeds in northern North America and winters in southern North America.

Ferruginous Duck Póiseard Súilbhán Aythya nyroca

Rare migrant.

Five county records involving three individuals up to the end of 2020. Most records are presumed to refer to the same bird returning to Kilcolman NNR from 1991 to spring 1999.

2001 Kilcolman NNR, an adult male on the 1st May.
1998 Kilcolman NNR, one male between the 8th and 28th March.
1994 Castlelack Lake, one adult male from the 11th December until the 2nd March 1995.
1992 Charleville Lagoons, one male from the 29th February until the 8th March.
1991 Kilcolman NNR, one adult male from the 20th January until the 14th February, returning every year until at least 1999.

Global Distribution: This duck breeds principally in south-western Asia (east to China and south to Pakistan and India), central and eastern Europe, and north Africa. The wintering range overlaps with the breeding range and extends to the Middle East, north-east and West Africa (mainly Mali and Nigeria9) and South-East Asia. (Birdlife International)

Tufted Duck Lacha Bhadánach Aythya fuligula

Common but declining winter visitor, scarce breeding species in the county.

Global Distribution: Iceland, Europe and Asia.

 

Summer Distribution

 

Winter Distribution

Greater Scaup Lacha Iascán Mórcheantar Aythya marila

Scarce winter visitor, mainly seen from October to March.

Global Distribution: Northern Europe, Asia, North America and Iceland.

 

Winter Distribution

Lesser Scaup Mionlacha Iascán Aythya affinis

Rare vagrant.

Two county records up to the end of 2020.

2015 The Gearagh, 10th December 2015.
2004 Dunisky, Lee Reservoir, first-winter male, 4th to 25th January. First county record.

Global Distribution: Breeds throughout much of the interior of Alaska and Canada, south to California, Nevada, South Dakota and Minnesota in the United States. The northern limit of its breeding range is the open boreal forest and forest tundra of Alaska, Yukon and the Canadian Northwest Territories. A migratory species, the lesser scaup winters mainly along the Louisiana and Florida Gulf Coasts, as well as on Lake Okeechobee in Florida and along the Pacific and Gulf Coasts of Mexico. (Arkive)

Common Eider Éadar Coitianta Somateria mollissima

Very scarce but almost annual winter visitor. Less than 150 records, most between September and January, up to the end of 2020.

Global Distribution: Europe, Asia, North America, Greenland and Iceland.

 

Winter Distribution

King Eider Éadar Taibhseach Somateria spectabilis

Rare vagrant,

Three county records up to the end of 2020.

2018 Toormore, a 1st winter female from 10th March to 17th April.
2014 Cahermore, a female from the 19th January to the 9th March.
1959 Baltimore, a male from the 29th January to 24th February.

Global Distribution: Breeds along the northern hemisphere Arctic coasts of Europe, North America and Asia. It can be found further south during the winter, including the north-east and north-west coast of North America, on Iceland and islands north of the United Kingdom, and on the Pacific coast of Asia to the tip of the Kamchatka Peninsula (Russia). (Birdlife International)

Long-tailed Duck Lacha Earrfhada Clangula hyemalis

Scarce winter visitor, mainly between October and April, with most seen at coastal locations.

Usually seen alone or small numbers but up to 15 have been seen at Cork Harbour.
Records of this species have become less frequent in recent years.

Global Distribution: Europe, Asia, North America, Greenland and Iceland.

 

Winter Distribution

 

Common Scoter Scótar Coitianta Melanitta nigra

Small groups are regular on passage at sea in late summer and autumn. Scarce in winter.

Over 100 in a day have been fairly regularly recorded flying past Cape Clear.

Global Distribution: This species breeds in Iceland, eastern Greenland (Denmark) and northern United Kingdom, across Scandinavia and northern parts of western and central Russia (e.g. Collinson et al. 2006). It winters in the Baltic Sea, off the Atlantic coast of Europe and North Africa, south to Mauritania, and in the western Mediterranean (del Hoyo et al. 1992, Delany and Scott 2006). (Source: BirdLIfe Internatoinal)

Winter Distribution

Surf Scoter Scótar Toinne Melanitta perspicillata

Rare vagrant, mostly in winter.

32 records up to the end of 2020. The first county record was in 1888 at Crookhaven Bay when an immature was shot on the 5th November.

2015 – 2020 Five records.
2014 Two records of single birds, Courtmacsherry (see 2013 record) and a male at Garretstown on 27th September.
2013 Six records of single birds all during the winter months except one at Courtmacsherry which stayed until April 2014.
2012 Four records of single birds during the winter months from Garretstown, Schull, Ballybranagan and Toe Head.
2010 Great Island, 1st Yr Male, 5th December to 30th January 2011.
2007 Carrigrenan Point (Little Island), a 1st-winter female from the 27th January to the 13th February.
2002 Saleen, a juvenile on the 17th November.
1999 Old Head of Kinsale, a first-year male from the 14th February to the 4th April.
1998 Aghada, a female/immature from the 8th to the 22nd November.
1998 Saleen/Aghada, a first-winter female from the 1st to the 22nd November.
1996 Inch Bay, a first-winter from the 3rd November to the 1st December.
1993 Cape Clear Island, an adult male on the 15th April.
1991 Broad Strand, a returning adult female from the 28th October to the 13th April 1992.
1990 Broad Strand, a returning adult female from 18th November into 1991.
1989 Broad Strand, a female from 26th December to 8th April 1990.
1985 Cape Clear Island, a female/immature on the 9th October.
1983 Ballybrannagan Strand, a male from the 12th December into 1984.
1982 Ballycotton, a female form the 3rd to the 17th October.
1976 Clonakilty Bay, an adult females and an immature from the 17th November to the 13th February 1977.
1976 Clonakilty Bay, an immature from the 23rd October to the 13th February 1977.
1969 Toormore Bay, one on the 12th January.
1926 One, West Cork, no date (INJ).
1888 Crookhaven Bay, an immature shot on the 5th November.

Global Distribution: Can be found in North America, breeding inland from western Alaska (USA) through central Canada to Labrador, and wintering from the Aleutian Islands down to Baja California (Mexico) on the Pacific coast, and along the Atlantic coast of the USA as far south as South Carolina. (Birdlife International)

Velvet Scoter Scótar Sceadach Melanitta fusca

Occasional winter visitor, most records of single birds.

About 70 birds recorded in the county up to the end of 2020.

17 county records involving 25 individuals up to the end of 1986 when the species was removed from the IRBC rarities list.
Analysis of these records show the following:
Birds were seen at the following locations: Ballycotton, Ballydehob Estuary, Cape Clear Island, Castletownshend Harbour,
Clonakilty, Dunmanus Bay, Galley Head, Garretstown, Glandore Harbour, Glengarriff, Old Head of Kinsale, Youghal.
Records involved between one and three birds usually seen on one day but a few have stayed for over a month.
All were seen between September and March.

Global Distribution: Breeds in Fennoscandia and northern Russia (with a disjunct
population in the Caucasus), also found in North America.

Bufflehead Ceann Buabhall Bucephala albeola

Rare vagrant.

Three county and Irish records up to the end of 2020.

2019 Aghada, 1st winter female, 20th December.
2018 Ballynacarriga Lake, 26th November to 15th December.
1998 The Gearagh, female, 18th January to 8th March. First Irish record.

The common occurrence of this species in wildfowl collections clouds its status, but on the basis of the records above the species has now been admitted to Category ‘A’ of the Irish List.

Global Distribution: Breeds in northern North America and winters on the coast and in the south of North America.

Common Goldeneye Órshúileach Coitianta Bucephala clangula

Locally scarce, winter visitor, seen in small numbers, rare in summer. Population declining.

Global Distribution: This species ranges across the boreal forests of Scandinavia, eastern Europe, Russia, Mongolia, northern China, Canada, Alaska and northern USA. Its wintering range is equally broad, encompassing the coast of northern Europe including inland United Kingdom, scattered coastal and inland water bodies in south-eastern Europe (e.g. Turkey) and central Asia, the coasts of eastern China, Korea, Japan and the Kamchatkha Peninsula (Russia), the Pacific coast of Canada and the Alaskan coast and inland USA (del Hoyo et al. 1992). (Source: BirdLife International)

 

Winter Distribution

 

Hooded Merganser Síolta Chochaill Lophodytes cucullatus

Rare vagrant.

One county record up to the end of 2020.

1878  A male and female were shot in Cork Harbour in December. This is the first Irish record.

Global Distribution: Breeds in eastern and western North America, wintering further south on each coast.

Smew Síolta Gheal Mergellus albellus

Rare in recent years, though previously almost annual in winter.

13 records involving 13 birds up to the end of 1999 when the species was removed from the IRBC rarities list.

Analysis of these records show the following:
Birds were seen at the following locations: Castlelack lake, Cobh, Douglas Estuary, Enniskeen, Kilcolman NNR, Kilkerran Lake, River Lee (near Macroom), The Gearagh.
All were single birds and most were females or immatures. All were seen between October and March.

Global Distribution: breeds mainly in northern Russia and Fennoscandia, with Europe
accounting for less than a quarter of its global breeding range.

Red-breasted Merganser Síolta Rua Mergus serrator

Common/scarce in winter on the coast. Rare in summer. Rare breeder in west Cork. Population decreasing.

Global Distribution: Europe, Asia, North America, Greenland and Iceland.

 

Winter Distribution

 

Goosander Síolta Mhór Mergus merganser

Rare winter visitor.

Regular in 19th century ands over 100 birds recorded since 1959.

Nine county records up to the end of 1999 when the species was removed from the IRBC rarities list.

Analysis of these records show the following:
Locations where birds have been seen: Ahakista, Lee reservoirs, Rossleague, Dripsey/Inniscarra Reservoirs, Cape Clear Island, Lough Allua, The Gearagh, Cape Clear Island, Sherkin Island, Ballydonegan.
Birds were seen in February, March, October and December.

Global Distribution: Can be found breeding year-round in central Asia and western China, in northern Europe including France, Germany, Scandinavia, the United Kingdom and Iceland, and in large areas of northern United States and parts of southern Canada. Summer breeding grounds include the majority of Scandinavia and Russia, parts of central Asia including northern India, northern regions of Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Japan, and much of southern Canada. Wintering grounds expand the range further south to encompass most of the United States, other coastal regions of south-eastern Europe (e.g. Turkey and Greece) and central Asia, and the eastern coast of China as well as Korea and Japan. (Birdlife International)

Ruddy Duck Lacha Rua Oxyura jamaicensis

Very scarce but virtually annual winter visitor, most records from inland sites. All considered to be from feral populations.

About 50 birds recorded in the county up to the end of 2020.

Global Distribution: This species has a large, discontinuous range in the Americas, occurring in Canada, the USA, Mexico, the West Indies, and along the Andes from Colombia to Tierra del Fuego (Chile). An introduced population is established and spreading in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.

 

Species seen but considered escaped from captivity or deliberately introduced into the wild.

Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina