Long tailed duck, how common?

[henry d]

Just a query, I saw my first long tail yesterday and wondered how common they are, do you see many while out fowling?

[kent]

They are said to be pretty common but live well out in deeper water so are rarely seen on the marshes, I have never seen one inshore personally

[scolopax]

An offshore duck that rarely frequents the marsh, over the years only ever had a couple that were 'shootable', both on sandy Scottish estuaries.

[Dr D]

They shoot them and other sea ducks in the US. Cant imagine they re good to eat? Check sea duck hunting on you tube. Interesting

[wildfowler.250]

Saw one when I was out last year. It was swimming along only 20 yards away. The old man found it dead a couple of days later,(it was very thin) so guessing it came closer to shore because it wasn't well. Shame as they're bonnie.

[anser2]

Never a abundant duck in UK waters the long tailed duck has under gone a massive decline in recent years. In one major UK site the Moray Firth 10,000 were regular a decade ago. The 2011\12 counts show a peak of just 540. This decline is across Europe. The Baltic numbers are down by 65%. Its only a few years ago the estimated European population was around 5 million , today much closer to 1.8 million. A decade ago there were thought to be around 12,000 wintering UK birds, but given their Europe wide decline much less today

 

Few wildfowlers see them mainly because they are not a marshland duck being found in deep waters often just of a rocky coastline. I did shoot a couple ,years ago before their protection but their taste was pretty strong to say the least. They were both females , had i managed to get a male I would have had it set up.

 

One big difference between UK and American fowling is the yanks often hunt ducks not for the eating but for the trophy and have good specimens set up. One of the main reasons for the interest in sea duck hunting over there. Having said that they can be made edible , but mainly with strong sauce to hide the real taste.

Edited December 29, 2013 by anser2

[henry d]

Thanks for the replies, as I said it is the first I have seen but a really bonnie cock bird and in a shallow sandy/muddy estuary. That said it does have lots of mussel beds and lots of crabs for them to eat and I have seen eider in that area too.

[edenman]

Henry I assume you saw it on the Eden? If so there has been a few there for the past 2 or so seasons.

[henry d]

Yes, on the Eden, thanks for the update. Will try to get a photo next time

[IEH]

I've only ever seen one, a few winters ago in the outer reaches of Poole harbour.

 

Ian