Redhead

The female Redhead that was identified on 25/1/2026 on Lough Yganavan, Cromane, Co. Kerry was my first new tick in quite awhile. It seems likely that the bird had been present since the previous October without being recognised as a rarity, Ireland's second record of the species.  Its an American diving duck and as with most female ducks, its plumage features are fairly muted.  While the males are similar in colouration to Pochard, the females are more reminiscent of a Ring-necked Duck, another more frequent trans-atlantic vagrant.  As it happened, there was a flock of six Ring-neck Ducks, four females and two males, on the lake as well.  The Redhead had been seen loosely associating with them on some previous occasions, however it was very on it's own when I got to see it on the evening of 28/1/2026.