20 Coward, Faunal Survey of Rostherne Mere. 



occasions seen parties of from thirty to sixty or more 

 birds in November, December, January and February. 

 We have not met with it later than April, nor earlier than 

 September on the return passage. 



As a rule the Shoveler is 



Spatula clypeata (Linnaeus), a rather irregular spring 



and autumn bird of 

 passage, but occasionally a fair number remain for the 

 winter. This was particularly the case in the winter of 

 1913-1914, when varying numbers were usually present 

 from the end of September onwards ; on December 31st, 

 191 3, there were more than two dozen together, and 

 several of these were old drakes in excellent plumage. 



The Pintail is little more 



Dafila acuta (Linnaeus), than a straggler to Rostherne, 



as indeed it is to all the 

 Cheshire inland waters, though common in the Dee and 

 Mersey estuaries. Birds, however, which visit the water 

 will sometimes stay for several weeks. In 1909 we noticed 

 a drake on September loth ; it was then in eclipse ; it 

 attained full plumage about the middle of October and 

 remained until well into December, when it was joined by 

 another. There was a Pintail on the water, possibly the 

 same bird, at the end of February, 19 10. A drake, on 

 March 12th, 191 2, was consorting with a duck Mallard, 

 but it was alone on the 26th ; in April, and even so late 

 as May ist, there were a pair on the water, presumably 

 the drake being the original bird. 



The Pochard, like 



JVyroca ferina /erz'na (Linnaeus), most of the diving 



ducks, is both a bird 

 of passage and winter visitor ; its numbers vary consider- 

 ably, and there is frequent movement from water to 

 water, so that the absence of birds from the mere at any 



