goosander

The goosander is shy but this doesn't prevent it from feeding in our local park lakes, especially during the colder months when waters may be frozen elsewhere.

RSPCA chiefs said goosanders are large ducks, found in many rivers and lakes in the UK.

The stylish jockey rides Sarsfield the Man in the Goosander Maiden Hurdle and this promising gelding will take some beating.

At RSPB Conwy this week, I've seen Curlews, Wigeon, Goosander, Pochard and Teal, all unseasonal, while the first Green Sandpiper of the "autumn" was over Anglesey's Inland Sea and a Golden Plover near Cemlyn Bay on Saturday.

It has 37 UK production licences including the istle, Deveron, Heather, Broom, West Don, Don Southwest, Conrie, Kittiwake, Mallard, Gadwall, Goosander and Grouse producing elds.

Don't forget, there's also an RSPB Reserve with hide at Sandwell Valley - 20 Tanhouse Avenue, Birmingham B43 5AG where the 'star species' can include goosander, lapwing, snipe and whitethroat.

Have a look at some examples on the internet or in books before you go, and see if you can spot some of the less common ducks, including pintail, goldeneye, long-tailed duck, red-breasted merganser and goosander.

On the river, visitors can expect to see cormorant, goosander, common tern, goldeneye and grey heron, while at the pond you may see coot, mallard, moorhen or, if you are lucky, a water rail.

One of these is the goosander, a striking bird which, despite its name, is a duck.

Mr Gladstone, from Fasque, Aberdeenshire, said: ''We saw a Merganser stroke Goosander of no described species.

BIRD SPOTTING RECENT sightings at the RSPB's Sandwell Valley Nature Reserve include goosander, shoveler, goldeneye, great spotted woodpecker, willow tit, siskin and bullfinch.

And the former champion has Sarsfield The Man on his Cheltenham shortlist after his impressive hurdling debut in the Goosander Maiden Hurdle.

FROM a fishery manager's standpoint the goosander is a bit of a villain - an avid fish eater that loves to snap up valuable trout and salmon.

Between its banks are heron and kingfisher, goosander and grayling, ranunculus and rich invertebrate life and, earlier this year, the first otters spotted for generations; testament to the transformation that the river has undergone since the closure of coal and steel.