Fairhaven Lake - 31.10.2026
These day’s I’m not one for travelling great distances for a single bird more likely to spend time in a location with multiple species opportunities, that said I was recently viewing a short video of a Long-Tailed Duck in residence on a coastal lake reasonable close to home, might be worth a visit.
The video taken on a grey windy day didn’t really do justice to this male sea duck sporting a the unlikeliest of long tail feathers but with a weather forecast of some sun over the next few days a trip was organised.
Now some five miles into the trip I had a thought….batteries !…yep I’ve left them had home !Finally arriving at my destination it’s overcast with blanket cloud, I really wanted some sun to bring out some colour so use the opportunity to do a “reci”
With a bracing cold wind I join the other walkers circling and scanning the lake for what resembles a LTD when another bider points out the duck resting on one of the islands with no signs of any movement, time to get the gear.
I’m sat watching the duck and after some feather maintenance it take’s flight to the far end of the lake. The duck diving only giving maybe three seconds between dives by which time the sun has made an appearance. Having not used the camera since last year the settings seem a little off and the focal length seems short !…where the tele converter ? back to the car.
I’m now back the LTD idiving, tele converter fitted to the lens and batteries in pocket when the duck heads for the island climes the bank and sits down.
After a short wait the duck resumes diving, with the sun giving some nice colour it’s back to the action for some final images, now I’m off to sample the local hospitality.
Long-Tailed Duck (male)
