Escape!

This here is Aix sponsa, a female Wood Duck.
It's about three quarters the length of an adult mallard, and the species usually resides in woods, swamps and lakes on the east and west coasts of north america. This example here though has been living on the brum canals for a couple of years now. These pics were taken just opposite Sibila's where you can often spot the duck chilling on the jettys.

Because of their attractive plumage (the male is far more colourful) they are popular in private collections in this country, so the chances of this duck being an escape are 99.9% . Feral populations have been temporarily established in Surrey in the past, but they are not considered to be self-sustaining. Due to its native distribution there is a chance that this species can occur as a natural vagrant in western europe, previous records in this country having been in Cornwall and the Scillies.

This female is not ringed, but I have no idea if captive birds are marked. But as I said it has been seen for a couple of years now and is almost definetly an escape. Nonetheless cool to look at so keep your eyes peeled for her.