Mallard

A common and widespread resident, autumn passage migrant and winter visitor with largest counts of 2,300 at CVL on 2nd October, 1966 [SBR], 2,160 at CVL in August 1980. Also, a fairly common breeder (by far our commonest breeding duck), Bland and Dadds (2012) estimated a local breeding population of 1500 pairs. The chart below shows the percentage changes over the last 25 years. 

Although Wheeler (1874) described it as ‘not common, ponds and marshes’ Charbonnier (1899) said it was ‘resident, nests in suitable localities’ while the 1929 SBR said ‘abundant winter visitor at BL where a good many breed in the vicinity. Frequent in pairs or small parties at BG where occasionally 15 or 20 in autumn but rarely more and no evidence of breeding’. By the 1940s, Davis (1947) described it as ‘resident, also an abundant winter visitor. As a breeding bird is common and widely distributed. Often numerous on the coast, at the reservoirs and other suitable haunts’ 

WeBS: English coast of the Severn Estuary was ranked eighth and CVL 25th in National Importance in 2016/17. English 10- year trend: -10%. The status data given below indicate that the first winter period numbers were up on the ten-year average at both main sites, and that the moult counts were also above average. 

The monthly maxima at the main sites were similar to last year, with a few down a little, for example at Saltford, and some up a little, for example at CVL, two tables are given, the first for the coastal sites, and the second overleaf for the inland sites. 

Other sites Counts of 50, or over, were received as follows: Avonmouth – 59 on Feb. 14th; Weston-s-Mare (Bay) – 100 on Oct. 17th, see below; Weston STW – 94 on Oct. 20th on one lagoon and 106 overall was a site record; Yate (Kingsgate Park) – 82 on Oct. 8th; Chelvey – 50 on Oct. 12th; Priston (Wood) – 90 on Nov.5th (possibly released birds). Breeding This species was recorded in 41.1% of BBS squares, which gives an indication of how widespread it is during the breeding season, being seen everywhere from large waterbodies to urban gardens. There were 72 broods noted this year and 360 ducklings counted, although some records gave no indication numbers of young seen. This was virtually identical to last year. The standardised BBS data is as follows, and the second table shows how this species has fared over the last decade at CVL (ten-year averages: broods – 25, young -- 134). 

Ringing Ringing was carried out at two sites as follows: Walton-in Gordano – a second-cy male, a two+ cy female and a three+ cy female; CVRS – a male and female first-cy, a male and four second-cy, eight male and three female two+ cy, and two male and female three+ cy