Shelduck

An unusual winter visitor to Chard reservoir. Males can be told apart from females by the red, bulbous 'knob' above the bill. A male is illustrated below.

12/01/68 - 2 birds.

12/12/68 - Single bird. (AEP).

26/04/80 - 2 birds.

18/03/84 - Single bird.

04/12/87 - 7 birds.

14/12/91 - 2 birds.

18/12/94 - Single bird seen briefly, before flying off at 10:00 am.

02/01/98 - Single bird.

09/03/98 - 2 birds.

??/12/98 - Single bird.

03/01/99 - 2 birds.

16/02/99 - 2 birds.

13/05/99 - Single bird.

19/12/99 - Single bird.

30/01/00 - 2 birds.

2001 - 2 birds on 21/01, then later some long staying juvenile birds starting with 5 on 18/08, 6 on 19/08 stayed for a few days, then decreasing to 2 by the end of August. One bird stayed through to 22/09.

2002 - Ones or twos seen on various dates in February, March, April, May, September and December.

2003 - One or two seen on 5 dates in February.

2004 - 4 on 14/02, 3 on 18/07 and 7 immatures on 31/07.

2005 - 2 on 08/03, 1 on 21/03 and 1 on 16/04.

2006 - none reported.

2007 - 2 on 01/02, 1 on 11/05 and 1 immature from 11/09 to 24/09