A Long-tailed Duck at Lackford Lakes

28th December 2015

A nice sunny day so time to go to Lackford Lakes to photograph the long-staying Long-tailed Duck. The Bernard's and Doubler-decker Hides were both extremely quiet so I moved straight on to Bessie's Hide where the duck has been spending much of her time.

However, walking through the woods I came across Barry Woodhouse lurking by a tree. Barry had cunningly seeded a large log next to the path and was busy photographing the endless stream of birds that came for their free meal. It would have been rude not to join in. Apart from the Blue and Great Tits, there were also Coal Tits and Nuthatches, but the star of the show today was the Marsh Tit which, although fast, did pose a couple of times.

Now on to the business in hand and Barry soon found the Long-tailed diving close in on the Hawker Pool. As is often the case the duck was diving continuously for long periods of time and therefore initially this was the best view you could get.

However, I did eventually manage to get one shot albeit in a shady part of the lake, but then it did swim into the sun briefly. Thereafter it swam away, flew off and returned to Long Reach but very distant.