Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)

This Goldeneye was swimming (and diving), diving as much as swimming as tghey do fairly close to the hide, but despite the bright morning at Mereshead RSPB, the water was in the shade of the hide and the wind was quite strong making the extremely tall reads in front of the hide waft very fast accross the bird all the time.

The first shot shows the problem, sometimes it was slightly brighter and the bird sometimes furter away above the reeds. Not the best you will ever see but I like these birds and one or two are ok. A juvenille male bird.

These birds breed in N Europe but only rarely in Scotland. They nest in down-lined tree holes and nest boxes laying 8 - 11 eggs. They have one brood a year between April and June. Thjese birds are widespread in winter on lakes, resevoirs and estuaries.