Patch Pochard!

Pochard, Axe Estuary, 20/03/2018 (Copyright T D Wright)

Pochard, Axe Estuary, 20/03/2018 (Copyright T D Wright)

Pochard, Axe Estuary, 20/03/2018 (Copyright T D Wright)

I got a fantastic surprise from Tower hide late on yesterday when I found a female Pochard among the Mallards. I wondered if it might be an immature male as I've not seen a female Pochard on the Axe since the 1990s. Yes really! They have been as rare as Rocking-horse manure over the last 6 years especially. The only one I'm aware of in that time was the full-on drake at Borrow Pit a while back which was found by Steve if I remember correctly. Sue Smith twitched it and joined me in the hide so her photos will be better than mine. She quickly slapped me down and dismissed my male theory by declaring this bird a female. I didn't mean to be so male-centric (see The Afternoon Birder's recent retweet), it's just that I haven't seen a female Pochard for so long I'd forgotten what they look like! That's my excuse, anyway...