Arundel Wetland & Wildfowl Trust

Arundel's Wetland and Wildfowl Trust reserve has not only an impressive area of ponds and reedbeds to attract wild species, but also a good selection of pinioned birds in protected areas.
Some of the 'tame' ones are native varieties which give a good opportunity to check out characteristics that would be difficult to see in the field, and some are 'exotics' from afar.
These Chinese or Scaly-Sided Mergansers are endangered, but the familiar Mandarin seems content with life in captivity.

It was good to see Buffleheads and Hooded Mergansers side-by-side for comparison, but it's not only in the wild that diving ducks frustrate photographers.

The male Ferruginous Duck showed well in the sunshine, relaxing after a heavy meal perhaps?

Oh pardon me - they feed us curried mealworms, you know.

These two ducks are New Zealand Blues (beautiful plumage) which live on mountain streams and are also endangered. These particular individuals, Ben & Jerry, became famous when (after the last female died) they turned towards each other and became known as the gay ducks.

And this ridiculously proud bird is a Spectacled Eider from Siberian and Alaskan waters - his back view was seen on the previous blog.