Hainault Forest Website

Water Birds

Hainault Lake is a large body of water with a tree and scrub covered island which supports a small number of varieties of water bird. Other ponds on which water birds are occasionally found are Roe's Well and Sheepwater. All the photographs below are taken at the lake.

HOME PAGE  PHOTO INDEX   AQUATIC MINIBEASTS  BUTTERFLIES   DOG BREEDS     DRAGONFLIES  LEAF MINES  MAMMALS  MINIBEASTS  MOTHS 

RARE BREEDS    REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS  WATER BIRDS
Mallard with four ducklings. Photo: 03.05.05 Not ugly ducklings but this years cygnets. Photo:03.06.05.

MUTE SWAN Cygnus olor Family  group with six cygnets. 

Photo: 03.06.05

 BLACK SWAN  Photo: 13.04.03. An individual seen on the lake and locally during April 2003.
BARNACLE GOOSE Branta leucopsis  Photo: 22.04.02  A lone individual often seen with the flock of Canada geese. Probable escapee from a waterfowl collection. CANADA GOOSE Branta canadensis  Photo: 16.01.05. Large numbers graze the grassland around the lake.
CANADA and BARNACLE GEESE compared  Photo: 22.04.02 CANADA GOOSE family   Photo: June 1986
Feral HYBRID GOOSE escapee from the farm feeds with the Canada goose flock Feral HYBRID GOOSE often seen with the Canada goose flock.
GREAT CRESTED GREBE Podiceps cristatus Winter plumage GREAT CRESTED GREBE  Photos: 16.01.05.
GREAT CRESTED GREBE Summer plumage. Carrying young chick on back.  Photo: June 2001 SHOVELLER DUCK Anas clypeata pair. Drake on left. They have a large shovel-shaped beak which they use to filter plankton, often swimming in circles to feed (bibbing). Recognised from afar by the head-down posture. Photo: 16.01.05.
TUFTED DUCK Aythya fuligula drake   More often on the lake in the winter months. Photo: 16.01.05 TUFTED DUCK female  Photo:16.01.05
MALLARD Anas platyrhynchos drake Photo: 16.01.05 MALLARD female  Photo: 16.01.05
POCHARD Aythya ferina drake Photo: 15.01.05. POCHARD female  Photo: 19.01.05.

BLACK-HEADED GULL Larus ridibundus in winter plumage.

A dark spot behind the eye.   Photo: 18.01.05.

 BLACK-HEADED GULLS in flight over lake.  Photo: 19.01.05.

COOT Fulica atra  Photo: 16.01.05.

COOT in head-down threatening posture defending territory. There is much squabbling in the early part of the year. It is very vocal.

Photo: 16.01.05.
MOORHEN Gallinula chloropus  The moorhen is smaller by comparison to the Coot and has a red beak. Photo: 16.01.05. CORMORANTS Phalacrocorax carbo on floats in lake.  Photo: 19.01.05.

CORMORANTS roosting and wing drying on the lake island. Will they perhaps nest here?   Photo: 16.01.05.