Wednesday, 28 January 2015

Long Tailed Duck - Crosby Marine Lake

One of two lifers so far this year, was a Long Tailed Duck at Crosby Marine Lake in Liverpool. (The other was a Bittern the day before). Last Sunday my friend Phil and I made an early icy and foggy start, and headed over to Liverpool. The forecast was for good light and no rain, so to be driving through the fog was not what we expected. Our positivity was telling us that it will be clear by the coast. Well it did clear and the sun shone, but the bird wasn't playing ball and was staying well away from us on the other side of the lake. A couple of times it drifted closer, but not close enough. The sun then disappeared and we had a torrential downpour.
Now both wet and cold (rather than just cold) it drifted a little closer with the aid of some very vocal people in a canoe. Sadly this was as close as it got, and these shots really are no more than record shots. I hope to see another one with better light one day. A nice looking duck all the same.

Long Tailed Duck 




Here together with a Goldeneye.
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13 comments:

  1. Adam Tilt28 January 2015 at 21:41

    Congratulations on your find. We were fortunate to have a very obliging individual turn up on a boating lake in Barry last year of all places.

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  2. Stewart M29 January 2015 at 08:14

    Great ducks - used to see them off the north-east coast - but not any more! Maybe a winter trip back to the UK would be a good idea!

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  3. Findlay Wilde29 January 2015 at 19:16

    I'd really like to see one of those Long Tailed Ducks. We are luck to get a bittern nearly every year at marbury though.

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  4. Kenneth Cole Schneider29 January 2015 at 21:41

    Glad that you got to see that Long-tailed Duck. We had one in Dallas, Texas some 20+ years ago. No need to fight the weather! Then we saw many during our recent cruise to Alaska.

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  5. eileeninmd31 January 2015 at 22:14

    The Long-tailed duck is a pretty lifer.. Congrats! The Goldeneye would be a lifer for me..Great shots..Thank you for linking up and sharing your post.. Have a happy weekend!

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  6. Su-sieee! Mac31 January 2015 at 23:55

    Nice shots. Seeing a lifer must be pretty big in the bird world. Congrats!
    The View from the Top of the Ladder

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  7. Joanne Olivieri1 February 2015 at 00:11

    Love the markings on him. He is so cute.

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  8. Margaret Birding For Pleasure1 February 2015 at 07:18

    Lovely images . I am away at present in North Donegal and have been fortunate to see quite a number of LT ducks here but have not got good phots like yours. Too faraway and the waves are tremendous and they keep disappearing in the troughs and of course diving themselves. .Have a great weekend.

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  9. Unknown1 February 2015 at 07:41

    Congrats on the new lifer.

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  10. Anni 1 February 2015 at 13:18

    Fannnnn...tastic!!!

    I was just going through my guide book and saw one of these ducks, wishing they were in my area. But...to have you spot one and post all these wonderful images is such a special treat.

    Thanks for taking time out in your busy day to share this link at I'd Rather B Birdin'!! It's always a pleasure to see what birds you find in your part of the world!

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  11. Unknown1 February 2015 at 22:12

    What a nice find and hopefully you'll get another opportunity to photograph it closer. The shots are still great!

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  12. Betsy Brock1 February 2015 at 22:13

    The long tailed duck is new to me...what a sweet face!

    I am always mesmerized by that header photo every time I visit!

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  13. betty-NZ1 February 2015 at 22:16

    Great find. I know it's exciting to locate this one.

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I enjoy reading your comments as much as I enjoy taking the pictures. Thank you for taking the time to comment on my post.