Hooded Merganser rescued from Ipswich cosmetics shop

30/01/2020

A drake Hooded Merganser has been escorted out of a high street shop in central Ipswich.

The exotic duck had to be removed from a cosmetics store on Tavern Street on Wednesday [28 January] by local security.

The yellow-ringed bird is well known in Suffolk, having arrived on the Blyth Estuary at Blythburgh in late October 2018, where it remained for several weeks before relocating to Ipswich in 2019. It has lingered around the town since then and has become a popular attraction, usually being seen either in Christchurch Park or along the River Orwell.

The Kiko Milano store contacted Ipswich Central at 09:30 to report that a 'pigeon' was loose in the shop and needed to be rescued.

Street rangers from Ipswich Central arrived at the scene shortly after, only to find that it was in fact the Hooded Merganser, which had made its way almost 1 km down the high street to the cosmetics chain's store and then somehow found its way inside.

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Rare bird has found its own 'McDonalds' in Christchurch Park

PUBLISHED: 16:10 20 January 2020 | UPDATED: 16:20 20 January 2020

Holly Hume

A certain visitor has been ruffling feathers in Christchurch Park with people trying to find out where the newcomer hails from.

The Hooded Merganser is native to North America but has been spotted in Ipswich of late, bathing in the wilderness pond.

The male duck has a distinctive crest along the top of it's head with a large white plume against a distinctive black outline - closely resembling a quiff.

A spokesperson for Ipswich Borough Council said: "It has created quite a stir, lots of people have been down to photograph it as it is a particularly handsome specimen.

"The rangers think it might stay as the pond is its equivalent to McDonalds - plenty of fish."

There has been speculation among bird watching communities as to where the mystery visitor had come from as the species is native to North America.

John Grant, president of the Suffolk Bird Group, said: "There's a 99.9% chance that it's not a wild bird.

"It's very likely to be an escapee from an ornamental collection as they are very attractive - though the owner will be unlikely to admit they let it escape."

Short of stowing away on a boat to Felixstowe it's doubtful whether the Hooded Merganser would have made it across from North America alone.

Mr Grant says that whilst there have been some accepted as a wild bird in rare cases in Britain, this is not likely to be one of them.

Wherever it's from, the sightings have prompted a wave of interest as the feathered celebrity has reportedly been hanging around for some weeks now.

Source

Rare rose-coloured starling spotted in Ipswich back garden

PUBLISHED: 09:29 05 June 2017 | UPDATED: 17:34 05 June 2017

Jason Noble and Emily Townsend

Birdwatchers have been flocking to a back garden in Henley Road, Ipswich, after a rare rose-coloured starling was spotted.

RSPB Ipswich Local Group member Rosie Forest spotted the unusual bird outside her home in Henley Road when it came down to feed on dried mealworms.

She noticed it on Friday morning – it was sitting among a large flock of around 50 common starlings about two metres away from her patio doors.

The bird, which is part of a migrant species which breed in Russia and the Ukraine, also fed on suet hanging at the back of Rosie’s garden.

She said it occasionally flew up to the tops of her conifer trees. Chris Courtney, a fellow bird-watcher, said: “She (Rosie texted me at 8.35am saying she had had this amazing pink starling and went on during subsequent texts to give a perfect description of an adult rosy starling. I told her it couldn’t be anything else.

“It was most apt that our member Rosie should succeed in attracting her namesake, the bird is known colloquially by birders as a Rosy starling.

“It’s also testimony to her really dedicated efforts to feed her garden birds - she spends a small fortune buying bird food and spends hours enjoying watching them.”



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Bird watchers unite for rare sighting of goosanders in Ipswich

15:31 17 January 2016

Ellis Barker

A pair of male and female Gooseanders have been spotted in Christchurch Park in Ipswich.

Birdwatchers got a rare sighting of a dopping of Goosanders in Christchurch Park on January 17.

Two male and two female goosanders, which are a member of the sawbill family, have been spotted in the park – with two having also been sighted there before Christmas.

Chris Courtney, leader of the RSPB Ipswich group, said: “You find them in upland rivers in northern Britain in the summer, that’s where they breed.

“In the winter they disperse and go further afield looking for food.

“They are winter visitors to Suffolk.”

Mr Courtney said that it was rare for the birds to visit Christchurch Park, with him only having seen one female two years ago, and two in the park before Christmas.

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Ipswich Christchurch Park owl's 'unique behaviour'

An owl that has become a tourist attraction in a town centre park is displaying "unique behaviour", experts say.

tawny owl (Wikipedia)

The tawny owl, named Mabel by staff at Christchurch Park in Ipswich, made her home on full view in a tree hollow.

She has proved popular with visitors to the park and appears comfortable near humans.

The Suffolk Owl Sanctuary charity said it was rare for an owl to sit out in the open.

Andy Hulme, manager of the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary at Stonham Aspal, said: "The importance of Mabel is that she's unusually visible - owls usually hide among ivy in the winter rather than sit out in the open.

"Most tawnys are pretty elusive and we are only able to count adults based on hearing their calls rather than by seeing them.

"Mabel has shown unique behaviour in the way she has taken up residence in Christchurch Park."

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