Green-winged Teal, Anas carolinensis

Local status: Rare vagrant

This dapper American duck was first given species status by the BOU in 2000 and can be picked out by carefully checking flocks of Teal, A. crecca, particularly in the Lower Derwent Valley. There seems to be an even split in records between March-April and
November, which suggests birds only infrequently spend the whole winter in the area and are more often seen when on passage with their European cousins. In common with many ducks, this species seems to be site-faithful and it is possible that single individuals accounted for the records in the periods 1981 to 1983, 1997 to 2001, and 2006 to 2010. The second individuals in these periods and records in other years are likely to be additional birds. All records are of adult drakes but with identification criteria advancing it is possible that the first female may be identified in the near future.

Records:

2022: Newburgh Priory Lake, 9th December. male
2021: River Derwent at Aughton, 30th December. male
Byland, 29th December. male
North Duffield Carrs, 3rd & 12th January, & 16th to 23rd March & 29th March. male

2020: North Duffield Carrs, 24th March to 1st April. male
Ellerton Ings, 21st March. male
Bubwith Ings, 16th to 18th March. male
Wheldrake Ings, 26th January, remaining to 1st February. male

2019: Wheldrake Ings, 1st, 10th, 11th, 13th, 25th and 26th January. male

2018: Low Grounds, 2nd December. possible hybrid Teal x Green-winged Teal & a more probable, Green-winged Teal was reported on the 13th.
Wheldrake Ings, 17th and 18th February. male
2017: River Derwent at Ellerton, 16th December. male
2016: Ellerton Ings, 30th April. male
Wheldrake Ings, 9th & 12th to 20th April. male

2015: Wheldrake Ings, 20th December. Male.
2015: North Duffield Carrs, 24th to 25th January. Male.

2011: Newburgh Priory, 17th to 29th March. Male.
2010: North Duffield Carrs, 15th April. Two males, one relocated to Wheldrake Ings, 20th to 22nd April.
2009: Bubwith Ings – North Duffield Carrs, 30th November to 2nd December. Male.
2009: North Duffield Carrs, 6th to 7th April. Male.
2008: Wheldrake Ings, 10th November. Male.
2008: North Duffield Carrs, 27th March ‘for a few days’, then moved to Wheldrake Ings on 22nd April. Male.
2007: Aughton Ings, 16th March. Male.
2006: Aughton and Ellerton Ings, 15th December. Male.
2006: Wheldrake Ings, 10th to 19th March. Male.
2001: North Duffield Carrs, 18th February. Male.
1999: Bank Island, 18th November. Male.
1998: North Duffield Carrs, 28th November and 3rd December. Male.
1997: Wheldrake Ings, 4th April. Male.
1990: Lower Derwent Valley, 14th to 16th April. Male.
1983: Wheldrake Ings, 17th December. Male.
1982: Wheldrake Ings, 1st to 8th November. Male, with a second male on 8th.
1981: Wheldrake Ings, 1st to 4th November. Male