I first viewed images of a Common Scoter on a lodge near Clitheroe on Sunday but as the weather was pretty poor I decided to give it a miss. With improving conditions later in the afternoon I thought why not have a look...it’s only twenty five minutes away.
This is a new venue for me, never the less I’m pretty familiar with the area as there’s some great driving roads all the way up to the Lake District. Arriving early afternoon the light is still not the best for photography, a quick scan of the lodge there's no sign of the Scoter, I also have a quick look on the top lodge dodging the race like traffic as I cross the dual carriageway...another blank. Having parked near the bottom lodge I have one final look…nothing, hey ho that's how it goes some days and call it a day.
The following day I note on local site the Scoter had been seen early morning so I'm in the car and twenty minuets later I’m back on site. It’s late afternoon and the conditions are sunny-cloudy, at times the light is a little harsh and together with the low sun angle makes it even more difficult to get a decent image. A review of the images on the back of the camera are all disappointing and with the light disappearing fast it's unrealistic to expect any thing decent so I call it a day and try again tomorrow.
Day three, its sleet or been raining all morning so ditch any plans for photography, but with improving conditions and a forecast of better light in the afternoon I decide to go for it.
No need for bins at this location as the lodge is quite small, the Scoter is in the same location as yesterday but is difficult to get near so I need a plan. I’ve noticed the Scoter has a tendency to move to the opposite side of the lodge when a dog walker appears along the track, so positioning myself near one of the small reed fringed bays, I wait.
A dog walker appears along the track and as predicted the Scoter moves to other side of the lodge into a small reed fringed bay, then it dives...that’s my cue, I move , sprint into position no more than twenty metres away, the duck surfaces but it’s obscured by the reeds, slowly it moves in to the open happy to keep feeding and I rattle a shed load of shots.
From time to time the Scoter on seeing people will move away, over the next hour it’s a case of repeating the plan of moving away and waiting, eventually the duck returns to the small bay and dives, to then move quickly back in to position before it surfaces.
After a couple of abortive attempts today has been a success with better diffused light with some close encounters. Now that's what I call implementing a plan.
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