Wigeon - 1894
Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at 4:11PM
Pembrokeshire Avifauna committee in Mathew, Wigeon, wildfowl, winter

Mareca penelope

A common winter visitor.

The Wigeon occurs in flocks in the autumn and winter all round the coast, and a few visit inland rivers and ponds. We have seen Wigeon in the Cleddy below Stone Hall, and have occasionally flushed and shot single birds from small pools and ditches when Snipe shooting. The Wigeon is by far the most numerous of all the ducks that visit us in the autumn.

On the decoy at Orielton in eight seasons (1877-1885), 4,150 Wigeon were taken as against 1,197 Wild Duck and 2,975 Teal in the same period. We append a list of fowl supplied us by Col. Saurin, of Orielton, taken in the decoy from 1877-18S5. We believe this list is published by Sir R. Payne Gallwey, Bart., in his book on "Decoys." The Orielton decoy was partially constructed in 1868, and added to in 1871, 1873, and 1876. No record of fowl taken was kept before 1877.

Mathew M.A. 1894, Birds of Pembrokeshire and it's Islands

 

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