Report from 11 to 13 January

It is now time for the annual International Waterbird Census. Like every year, an enthusiastic crew of birders gathered at La Cassinazza to brave the fog and the freezing temperatures, armed with binoculars, spotting scopes, and a can-do spirit.
It was all for naught. The fog was just too thick, and when it became evident that it would not lift in the afternoon, we beat a forlorn retreat. And it wasn’t just the fog: based on what little we could see and hear, we had the impression that the waterbirds themselves were making fun of us. There only seemed to be a small fraction of the birds that were around the previous, gloriously sunny day. I wonder where they went, and why they left. Sadly, the weather forecast for the next week or so promises more of the same.

In keeping with tradition, the photo that accompanies the report for the IWC depicts a duck. Drake ducks all have rather striking plumages. In my opinion, the Pintail is the most elegant, the Gadwall understated and classy, the Shoveler downright bizzare, the Wigeon and Red-crested Pochard look like a pair of clowns, and the Tufted Duck sports a dapper tuxedo. But without a doubt, the tiny Teal is the most endearing of the bunch.