Dutch Birding volume 26 (2004) no 3

Canvasback near Castricum aan Zee in January-March 2003

From 9 January to 5 March 2003, an adult male Canvasback Aythya valisineria stayed on ponds and lakes in coastal dunes near Castricum aan Zee, Noord-Holland, the Netherlands. The bird mostly associated with Common Pochards A ferina. It was identified by its larger size than Common Pochard, paler overall plumage, darker red head with almost black front, long and all-black bill (almost in line with the sloping forehead) and different angle of the black breast demarcation. The bird was studied closely and well photographed and videoed; there were no indications of hybrid origin (Canvasback x Common Pochard), such as pale markings on the bill. The bird was unringed and fully winged. This record has been accepted by the Dutch rarities committee (CDNA) as the first for the Netherlands and the first for continental Europe. Other records are from Britain (six, the first in 1996) and Iceland (1977) (see table 1). A bird in Saarland, Germany, in January-March 1987 was considered an escape by the German rarities committee.

Cock Reijnders, Laanacker 17, 1902 AK Castricum, Nederland
(cockreijndershetnet.nl)
Enno B Ebels, Joseph Haydnlaan 4, 3533 AE Utrecht, Nederland
(ebelswxs.nl)