Are you a webbie?
What would you call a bunch of enthusiasts who love ducks, geese and swans? We are paddling into the competition season with a search for a brilliant word. Comment on our Facebook page with your suggestion, like and share our post to friends and family and you could win a copy of the great new […]
The right thing to do
As a hgv driver, Rupert Stephenson’s day job takes him to many places, one of those last week was Stratford upon Avon. ‘I was emptying bins along the river area, only 100 yards from the swans, who come to see if there’s any food on offer. In light of the avian flu situation, and the […]
Bid for heavy ducks – original artwork
The Blue Swedish, Cayuga, Pekin and Rouen Clair are four heavy ducks depicted on paintings by Carl Donner, Wildlife Artist. These original watercolours were commissioned for the Millennium edition of British Waterfowl Standards. Each is beautifully framed and includes provenance of the original sale of work. The paintings will be auctioned on Sunday at the […]
Strict biosecurity is now mandatory
Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) Press Notice – Bird flu – Latest situation: Avian influenza prevention zone declared across Great Britain Following a number of detections of avian influenza in wild birds across Great Britain, the Chief Veterinary Officers from England, Scotland and Wales have declared an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) across the whole […]
Bird Flu identified at a rescue centre in Worcestershire
Please be aware Defra has issued the following press notice: News Story – Bird flu identified at a rescue centre in Worcestershire On the 26th October 2021 avian influenza H5N1 was confirmed in birds at a rescue centre near Droitwich Spa, Wychavon, Worcestershire. Further testing is underway to confirm the pathogenicity of the strain. […]
Black and Blue
The colours we see can sometimes be just an illusion. The White-headed Duck’s bill is bone, supporting a thin layer of living tissue which is then covered again with a thin layer of see-through keratin. The living cells can change colour, and the colour shows through the keratin. In most bird species it’s a complex […]
Word Play
No harm in a little eye-candy from time to time! The magnificent Mandarin is back in his breeding finery for most of us, including some finely-marked feathers on his flanks. We love a link between subjects. If you have a regular worming regime, it may be tied to a calendar event, say perhaps the […]
Plan ahead and reduce the risk of avian flu
The UK’s Chief Veterinary Officers are encouraging poultry keepers to take action now to reduce the risk of avian flu over the winter. The UK is currently free from avian flu, but over the last year 26 outbreaks were confirmed in kept poultry and captive birds and in over 300 wild birds. As winter approaches, […]
Remembering David Kinsman
Sadly we have to report that long-standing member, David J J Kinsman, passed away earlier this month. As a waterfowl keeper for more than 40 years, he was always generous with his time and birds and inspired many in our hobby. As a young teenager, he and a friend took the bus from Bristol as […]
Something to say
News of a talking duck is not new, but the Australian Musk Duck Biziura lobata is a recent subject. The repertoire of this species includes many sounds that the birds hear around them. Most unusually amongst the waterfowl, the Musk Duck is able to mimic snatches of human speech and regular sounds around them. A […]
