Williamson's weekly nature notes - feb 17

They are really odd birds with that thin beak fitted with a mass of teeth to hold slimy fish.

They are the link between diving ducks (like goldeneye) and the true divers (like grebes).

They are called gool ducks in Scotland.

To some old fishermen they are still called harles, which is a word in German meaning a hemp fibre barb.

To others on the east coast they are sawyers while in Ireland they might still carry the name spear-wigeon.

I was watching them this week. They do look like a spear when they fly.

That long beak spear-heads a long thin shape which is so much flatter than a dabbling duck like a wigeon or a mallard. Mergansers seem to streamline themselves as they fly.