Look out for... Goldeneyes
18 Jan 2018
January is the peak month for one of the most attractive ducks in the region. Favouring large lakes, gravel pits and sheltered sea bays, Goldeneyes can be encountered throughout Britain and Ireland in the winter months. If present in mixed sex flocks, it is possible to see the male Goldeneye performing their striking courtship display.
Goldeneye was only recorded breeding for the first time in Britain as recently as 1970. Since then, the population has expanded, with the aid of special tree mounted nest boxes, and now numbers around 200 pairs. The majority are found in the Speyside region of northern Scotland, with breeding records from Chew Valley, Somerset and Northumberland, and summering birds noted elsewhere.
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