Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)

STATUS AT LONGHAM LAKES

Often present in spring, and bred in the Quarry before it became Longham Reservoir South.

Annual records:
2002: 1 on 30th March, 1 on 14th April, 2 on 20th April.
2004: 2 on 20th April, 1 on 21st April, 26th April and 27th April; 2 on 1st May, 1 on 3rd May-17th May
2005: 1 on 15th January, 3 on 20th April, 1 30th April-27th May
2006: 2 on 28th March, 1 on 7th and 21st April..
2007: 3 on 8th March, then at least 1 present on the Quarry from 21st March until 30th April.
2008: 2 on 3rd and 15th January, then 2 sporadically from 17th March to 23rd April. 2 on 16th May.
2009: 1 on the Quarry on 28th January, then 2 off and on from 5th March to 22nd April, but 4 on 9th March and 3 on 30th April. Last records on 2nd May and 2 on 20th June (Trevor Thorpe).
2010: A pair present from 11th March 2010; 1 on 21st May. 2 with 2 juveniles on 8th July 2010 (Trevor Thorpe). 2 on 16th July (Trevor Thorpe).
2011: 1st recorded 16th Jan, then 3 on 23rd. 2 present on and off until 28th April with 3+ on 16th April, then 1 on 15th May. 2 on 24th June, 1 on 24th and 1 on 9th July. 1 on 27th August (George Green).
2012: A pair on 11th March, then 9th-11th April, then 2 on 3rd May and 8th May. 2 on 20th May (WEBS).
2013: 1 on 5th January 2013 (GG), then February 12th (GG) and 19th (DC), 1 on 5th March (Alan Pearce), 2 on 9th March (Kevin Lane), 2 on 29th March (Alan Pearce), 2 on 11th and 13th April, 4 on 19th April, 2 on 26th April, 2 on 12th May, a pair on 8th June (DC), 1 on 10th July (DC), 1 on 10th November.
2014: 3 on 11th, 19th and 20th January (GG), 1 on 21st January (DC), 3 on 16th February, 2 on 12th March, 3 on 16th, 2 on 18th and 4 on 31st March, 4 on 15th and 3 on 17th April (DC), 2 on 20th April (WEBS), 1 on 7th December.
2015: 1 on 10th and 12th January, then again on 18th; 3 on 2nd April, with 2 on 15th and 19th, then 1 again on 28th April.

 
Breeding:
1. A pair with 7 immatures flew in from the Quarry to Longham Reservoir North on 16th July 2006, the first confirmed breeding.
2. 2010: Adult with 2 young seen on 27th June.