Gad about and you may miss the gadwall

Four gadwalls, three drakes and a duck, are on a flooded pond near where Ilive. Although the gadwall is a scarce resident in Ireland, these are probably seasonal visitors from abroad.

Male ducks have colourful, even gaudy, plumages but the gadwall drake is almost an exception to the rule. The picture of sartorial elegance, his morning-suit-grey plumage has just a tinge of brown. The rump is jet black and a white ‘speculum’, the colourful ‘mirror’ on a duck’s wing, is conspicuous against the sober attire. The bird’s pale underparts aren’t visible when it is on the water.