I'm Back Again, But At A Different Location

Victoria Park, St Helens - 18.01.2025

Well the American RND a vagrant to Europe very similar to our Tufted Duck is on the move again, this time appearing on a small pond some way from where it's been many months hopping between Ecclestone Mere and Taylor Park. Worth a trip ?

Checking on-line mapping Victoria Park pond is small, so small that I'm a little supprised the duck has taken up residence, probably a result of being part of a mobile group of the more common "tuffie's" that move around the area. Next check the weather, it doesn't good with grey cloud and some rain later in the week, so it's today or wait a week by which time the duck may have departed.

A new location so I thought I'd have a quick rece scan to try and locate the duck before getting the kit out, no need as the duck is picked up straight away up against the bank no more than a few meters away, time to get the kit. 

Surrounding the pond is a waist high steel fence so shooting low is not an option other than removing the lens hood and getting the lens as close as possible to the fence, of course you could shoot over the fence but the images won't be as good…I did both !

Initially with stubborn early mist the light only slowly improving but never optimum, it's a case of low shutter speeds avoiding any action shooting into coloured water, I hate white water shots.

These are some of the images taken around midday, not great image quality due to the poor light and fence bars but at least it wasn't an abortive trip, maybe a return trip if these grey days of poor light will ever end.

Ring-necked Duck - male

This image clearly shows why this duck is called ring necked...