hi everyone, no i didnt really mean it that way. i meant to say identification was via a rspb volunteer to my friend george. i wasnt implying that the origional id was a rspb person, regards mike

"identification was via experienced rspb volunteers". When I pointed it out to the RSPB volunteers on the Saturday I found it, the reply was " Oh...I thought that was a Pochard". This is in no way a slight on the RSPB volunteers who do a grand job at Marshside, opening and manning the hides and making everyone welcome, the finer points of Aythya identification aren`t for everyone, even for experienced birders it seems.It is amusing however, how the facts can become rather blurred.

Mike, you might want to take a look in the out-of-county forum, Marshside thread. This apparent first winter drake has been present for a little while now and for the record the confirmation of it's identification was not made by RSPB volunteers . If you like your aythya though it's a smart bird.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 29th of March 2011 03:47:20 PM

my friend george phoned me sunday evening to say he had seen a lesser scaup at rspb reserve marshside north of southport. identification was via experienced rspb volunteers. marshside has its own internet site if any one wants to check if its still there, mike