Just On Holiday

Alexandra Park - 17.10.21

Having seen a report and a few images of a North American male Wood Duck in a local park I thought it was an opportunity not to miss as seeing these "feral" ducks is an uncommon sight around the UK.

Not unlike the Mandarin Duck but less common the Wood Duck popular in wild fowl collections with escapees breeding in the wild that's assuming both male and female manage to find each other, the only place I know currently being one of the valleys in South Wales.

It's a couple of years since my last encounter with this species so I know exactly what I'm looking for, a quick circumnavigation of the lake and it's found associating with a female Mallard, very approachable and not at all fazed by a park run and generally people out for a walk, all thats needed is little patience for the duck to move to some nice coloured water and it's job done.

Although not accepted on the official UK breeder list it's always good to catch up with something more unusual especially if its not brown !

Wood Duck - male

Tufted Duck -female

Also present were a few Tufted Duck

Festival In Gwent

Festival Park, Ebbw Vale - 9.12.18

I've been aware of the Wood Duck a North American escapee breeding wild in some locations around the country but never been lucky to see one unlike the similar Mandarin Duck which is quite common in the Forest of Dean, so when news of this colourful Yank appearing quite near to the FOD hit the airways I though I'd have a go for some images.

Wood Duck, or its American name Carolina Wood Duck is closely related to Mandarin Duck even thou it originates from North America and the Mandarin from Central Asia. Originally escaped from wildfowl collections there are now an estimated twenty breeding pairs throughout the UK (BTO-2017) so still quite a rare duck and probably not yet sustainable in the wild being supplemented by the continuation of escapee ducks.

This morning I'm on my way to a small regeneration park in Ebbw Vale not that far from where I'd seen the Rock Thrush last year. It's dark when I set off on the fifty minuet drive arriving just after 8.0am but with the light levels still a little low for photography. Straight away I pickup two Wood Ducks a male and female sat on a fishing platform peg but they soon depart flushed by an early morning dog walker.

Now with the sun breaking through eight ducks fly in the male's very vocal with their distinctive call landing in the ideal location on some great yellow water reflected from the reed pond edge. I manage maybe fifty shots only for the ducks too fly off again....doh !.

An hour has now passed and the Woods Ducks are back this time on the far side on the pond under some overhanging trees again with some great water colour. I take my chance and head onto a nearby fishing platform less than twenty meters away from the ducks, this time the Wood Ducks seen more at ease images giving plenty of opportunity for images. Now in some nice diffused sunlight I make the most of the encounter shooting maybe 1K of images, a quick back of the camera review I'm happy with my efforts.

All too soon the session is ended by some good old fashion Welsh driving rain and I resort to a little birding. With the rain now stopped a local birder with a camera has a little trick up his sleeve, he's throwing grain to the Mallards and the Wood Ducks join in, frantic feeding ensue less than a meter away, interesting to watch but no use to getting any decent images with all the squabbling for food.

My time is up, it's been a long time since I was last in Ebbw Vale way back in my working twenties and I'm always interested to revisit.

Time to head back for my long overdue breakfast.

Wood Duck / Carolina Wood Duck (male)

Wood Duck (female)

Wood Duck (female)