I wrote to the Oriental Bird Club regarding the identification of Spot-billed Duck and the recent birds at Fog Lane Park and Alexandra Park Lake, here is the reply:

"Thank you for contacting OBC with your Spot-billed Duck images. We do not claim to be expert in the identification of this or any other species we are simply enthusiastic volunteers who give our time to run the Club; we have no paid staff. However, we do spend time in the region and have seen the species you mention in the wild, so we pass on our opinions below and apologise if we mention various aspects you already know.

Three Spot-billed Duck races had been recognised in the past, two have now been accepted as full species:

Indian (Western) Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha with two taxa recognised, nominate form found across South Asia from the Indus valley in the west to west Assam and harringtoni found from east Assam, Myanmar through South-East Asia to south China.

Chinese (Eastern) Spot-billed Duck A. zonorhyncha which overlaps in range with Indian species in the west of its range which extends east into Far East Russia (including Sakhalin Island) and Mongolia, Korea and Japan.

There are morphological differences between the taxa whilst haringtoni and zonorhyncha have been found breeding sympatrically in China, seeming to be good confirmation of their new status.

This brings us to your birds:

The first bird (Fog Lane Park) looks like Eastern/Chinese Spot-billed, admittedly a rather pale one, but the lack of red at the base of the bill indicates Eastern.

The second bird (Alexandra Park Lake) on the other hand, does have red at the base of the bill and is therefore Indian Spot-billed Duck. There are many Spot-bills in collections and there is no knowing if they are all marked. Hybrids with Mallard do occur and images of them can be found on the internet. The hybrids we have encountered are frequently quite different from either species; it appears unlikely to us that these birds have any Mallard in them. There is quite an interesting set of images taken in Japan of Spot-billed/Mallard hybrids which we suggest you examine (http://birdingkyoto.blogspot.com/2016/12/spot-billed-duck-x-mallard-hybrids.html). We also suggest you look at our 'OrientalBirdImages' website (http://orientalbirdimages.org/).

We hope our comments are of some use and interest to you."

Thanks to the Oriental Bird Club for these comments

The photo is of the recent bird on Alexandra Park Lake, 3rd August 2018

The drake Spot-billed Duck "type" still present this morning, I spent some time watching, photographing and filming this educational bird! My opinion is that it has some Mallard influence (the head pattern, green sheen to the crown and rufous tones on the breast), it is un-ringed and probably fully-winged (see open wing photo)

Pete Hines wrote:

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/>Indian Spot-billed Duck 1m

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Indian Spot-billed Duck/Mallard hydrid?

Thanks, Rob. Interesting. It wasn't there at 2 today.

Amongst the usual Canada Geese on the lake, there is a ringed hybrid goose, found on Thursday by Tony O'Mahoney. It is there again today. Maybe a Martinmere bird? Possible Snow x Canada, or Snow x Barnacle. The yellow on beak and legs doesn't seem to be on the Snow-Canadas I've looked up. Any ideas welcome.

In the middle of a picturesque but desolate, snowbound Alex Park, 2 pairs of Shoveler are busy circling.

Midday

Shoveler 1
Tufted Duck 40

12.45-13.05

Goosander 1 female
Shoveler 1 male
Tufted Duck 37
Lesser Black-backed Gull 2

Shoveler 2 drake

pair of Shoveler on lake 10:50 today. still no Mergus

09.35

Carrion Crow 47

No sawbills

Return of the Mergi.

11:40
Redbreasted Merganser 1
Goosander redhead 1

Copland Smith wrote:

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Yesterday (Friday 24)
12:40
4 Goosander (all redhead)
1 Redbreasted Merganser

12:10 today
No Mergus at all!
2 Heron (1 in each bay, steeple-stemmed)

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I made two visits here this morning plus one to Platt Fields Park, no Mergus species at either, they must be somewhere.

1 Herring Gull yesterday

Red-breasted Merganser still present mid-afternoon

-- Edited by James Walsh on Friday 24th of November 2017 09:29:29 PM

Red-breasted Merganser 1
Goosander 2
Great Spotted Woodpecker 3 together

12:45-13:00
1 red-breasted merganser
5 goosanders
11 tufted ducks
1 grey wagtail

09.05-09.50

Red-breasted Merganser still present
Goosander 4 redhead
Fieldfare 2+
Ring-necked Parakeet 27+

08.25-09.15

Red-breasted Merganser flew in alone at 09.05
Goosander 3
Cormorant 1
Herring Gull 2
Common Gull 1
Ring-necked Parakeet 62+
Goldcrest 4
Grey Wagtail 2
Redwing - several
Goldfinch 16+

Red-breasted merganser seen briefly this afternoon just before it went dark. It was present with 2 redhead goosanders then flew off to roost.

Also around 43 Ring-necked parakeets in the trees

Red-breasted Merganser 1 flew in with 2 redhead Goosander at 08.22
Goosander 8
Siskin 1 over

Red breasted Merganser still present up till 14.15 

Nuthatch , ring necked parakeets  large mixed tit flock in trees  

keep birding 

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 17th of November 2017 04:49:14 PM

Red-breasted Merganser 1 still
Goosander 13

Red-breasted Merganser 1. It took flight with 7 Goosander at 16.06 but split from the group as the others headed off south-east, circled the lake before heading south-west, back towards Platt Fields.

Goosander 13. First one at 16.02 then 7 at 16.06 flew south-east, presumably to roost at Broad Ees Dole, leaving 5 remaining at 16.20

Ring-necked Parakeet 66 at 16.20

11am Today at the lake:

10 Goosander present, including 4 adult males

4 Mute swan including 1 1st winter

14 Canada goose

23 Mallard
5 Tufted duck

6 Coot
7 Moorhen

54 Blackheaded gull (plus 35 on the football field, making 89)

1 Grey heron

1 Grey wagtail

plus Ringnecked parakeets over.