If you’re searching for some colour to brighten up the muted greys and blues of the winter landscape, then look no further than the natural world. As the temperature drops, the resident wildfowl population is swelled by an influx of colourful and lively winter visitors to many places across Bedfordshire, including our Wetlands Nature Reserve at Millennium Country Park. Flocks arrive from cooler climes – such as the Baltics, Siberia and Northern Europe – in search of more habitable conditions and plentiful food sources. Some stay for the whole of winter while others use our coasts, lakes and reservoirs as a ‘service station’ – grabbing some rest and food before travelling onwards. Despite their long journeys, these birds usually look at their best at this time of year, with fresh, bright plumage, primed for finding a mate ahead of the breeding season. If you have a pair of binoculars don’t forget to bring them along so you can get a really close look at the colours, markings and behaviour of our winter bird population. Start by looking out for flocks of teal, a small but perfectly formed duck. The males are particularly striking, and can be identified by their rich, chestnut heads and green eye patches. Females are plainer, looking similar to female mallards aside from having a bright green patch on the wing.
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Ducks can be divided into two groups – dabbling and diving ducks – which relate to how they find food. Dabbling ducks, which include teal, glide along the surface of the water, dipping their bills just underneath to get food. Sometimes they will plunge their
