White-eyed Duck at Blenheim

Bird sighting information. Use this forum to report bird sightings (especially rare and unusual birds), census and field count results, and trip reports. Messages posted to this forum will also be sent as a plain text email to the BIRDING-NZ newsgroup.
Richard Schofield
Posts: 187
Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2009 3:46 pm
Location: Balclutha
Contact:

White-eyed Duck at Blenheim

Postby Richard Schofield » Fri Apr 05, 2019 11:08 am

Just had a report (with photo) from Sharon Roberts of a male White-eyed Duck (Hardhead) at Blenheim WTP this morning.
Patrick Crowe
Posts: 55
Joined: Sat Jun 16, 2018 7:15 pm

Re: White-eyed Duck at Blenheim

Postby Patrick Crowe » Fri Apr 05, 2019 6:29 pm

Any more details on this? Which pond did she see it in and where from?
smalva
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Feb 07, 2014 4:01 pm

Re: White-eyed Duck at Blenheim

Postby smalva » Sat Apr 06, 2019 1:07 pm

It was in the same pond with the island same side as the car park.
User avatar
TheBirderman
Posts: 58
Joined: Fri Mar 09, 2018 9:47 pm

Re: White-eyed Duck at Blenheim

Postby TheBirderman » Sat Apr 06, 2019 7:43 pm

smalva wrote:It was in the same pond with the island same side as the car park.


Hi smalva, do you have any photos? Can you also describe the duck for me?

Cheers
Richard Schofield
Posts: 187
Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2009 3:46 pm
Location: Balclutha
Contact:

Re: White-eyed Duck at Blenheim

Postby Richard Schofield » Sun Apr 07, 2019 5:59 pm

Photo from Sharon.
IMG_2343.JPG
IMG_2343.JPG (134.43 KiB) Viewed 3790 times
Nigel Milius
Posts: 24
Joined: Wed Aug 09, 2017 12:14 pm

Re: White-eyed Duck at Blenheim

Postby Nigel Milius » Fri Apr 19, 2019 5:26 pm

Hi all,
Went to have a look for this today but no luck. Had a very pleasant (though ornithologically not very exciting) walk round the Wairau Lagoons in gorgeous weather. The real reason I'm submitting this though is I'm not sure I was looking from the best spot and thought maybe someone who knows the site better could possibly offer some advice to help anyone else trying for it. I got to the Wairau Lagoon car park at the end of Hardings Road and set off on the walkway which on the map goes along the edge of the pond where I understand the duck was/is. However, for most of the length of the pond, the walkway is below the stop bank (making the pond invisible unless you're 3 meters tall!) with just very restricted views of parts of it at either end, and a fence that you're clearly not welcome to cross between you and said pond. I didn't have a scope (which would have been handy), the light was however perfect, but most of the wildfowl were roosting (especially on the island). I spent quite a while hoping it might just swim by and also looking for better vantage points, to no avail. Can't see that I'll get another chance anytime soon, but good luck to anyone else who tries. Nigel Milius
User avatar
GKincaid
Posts: 17
Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2016 12:40 pm
Location: Marlborough
Contact:

Re: White-eyed Duck at Blenheim

Postby GKincaid » Sat Apr 20, 2019 8:37 am

Hi Nigel -

Your best viewing spot will be at the far end of the ponds from the carpark where the path goes up over the stopbank before dropping back down (there is a large sign there with a map and description of the WTP). From this elevated spot you can look back over a fair portion of both ponds. A scope is very helpful. I have visited perhaps 3 times since this bird was reported, with no luck. It is not possible to see all areas of these 2 ponds from the path, and there are at least to adjacent ponds, so plenty of areas where this bird could still be.

Glenn Kincaid, Rarangi
Nigel Milius
Posts: 24
Joined: Wed Aug 09, 2017 12:14 pm

Re: White-eyed Duck at Blenheim

Postby Nigel Milius » Sat Apr 20, 2019 12:49 pm

Thanks Glenn, obviously I was in the right spot so hopefully your post will help anyone else trying for it. All the best, Nigel
Grahame
Posts: 355
Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2015 6:48 pm
Location: Ngatea
Contact:

Re: White-eyed Duck at Blenheim

Postby Grahame » Mon Apr 29, 2019 2:34 pm

I have just been reliably informed that the Hardhead is in the first big pond on the left (not right) with 44 Scaup at 1315.

Cheers, Grahame
wazzagonewild
Posts: 139
Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2018 9:33 pm

Re: White-eyed Duck at Blenheim

Postby wazzagonewild » Sun May 05, 2019 9:26 am

Hi, has the hardhead been seen again since April 29? I'm thinking of making a trip to Blenheim to have a look this week.

Return to “Bird Sightings and Alerts”