American Wigeon
Local status: Very rare vagrant
Given the huge numbers of Wigeon, A. penelope that winter in the York area it is surprising how rare American Wigeons actually are. Careful scrutiny of future wintering Wigeon flocks will undoubtedly reveal further records of this handsome North American duck
Records:
2024: Drake. October / November, Bank Island, Wheldrake Ings & East Cottingwith
April: Wheldrake Ings, 1st to 5th. NDC, 7th
March: Bubwith/North Duffield Ings, 2nd/3rd, 8th-10th and 15th-19th
February: Bubwith Ings, 18th to 23rd
January: drake. Seavy Carr, 16th, North Duffield Carrs/Bubwith Ings, 17th & 18th
2019: All records came in January (drake). Bubwith Ings, 1st January. Low Grounds and Wheldrake Ings, 3rd & 13th January. NDC, 5th January.
An adult female. NDC, 10th January
2018: Bubwith Ings, 31st December. drake remaining into the New Year.
The drake which was present in the LDV during December 2017 remained into the New Year.
Wheldrake Ings, 2nd to 7th January & again on 9th and 10th February. Bank Island, 12th February
2017: Bank Island, 2nd/3rd December, Bubwith Ings on the 8th December, River Derwent at Ellerton, 11th/12th December. drake
2016: CHL, 12th to 18th February. drake
@birdingdad: This is the one!
2015: North Duffield Carrs, 14th February. Adult male.
2010: Wheldrake Ings, 26th October to 7th November. Adult male.
2006-7 Bubwith Ings, 1st November 2006 to 26th April 2007. Adult male, joined
by a second on 13th March.
Unsubstantiated records:
1985: Lower Derwent Valley, 28th May to 9th June. Moulting male. Though accepted by the YNU, this bird was rejected by the BBRC though a record of what may have been the same bird was accepted at Filey in March.