Whilst I’ve been quite busy with work over the weekend, I’ve managed to sneak in a couple of fly-by visits to my local reservoir, for a bit of relaxation, and just on the off-chance of stumbling across a good photo opportunity.
On my first trip, as soon as I made it to the waters edge, I was greeted by a large flock of Pochard (c.150) feeding and bathing not too far out. Initially wary to my presence, but after a few minutes sitting quietly, they moved closer to the shore and I was able to take some photographs.
Further along the bank, I was able to catch up with the resident pair of Mandarin ducks whom I’ve previously photographed; they’re definitely getting friendlier and the male’s plumage is looking sharper by the day!
After hearing of a couple of male Goldeneye that had taken up residence, I made a second trip a couple of days later to try to locate the pair. Luckily, I was able to catch up with one of these stunning birds without too much searching, but despite near-perfect conditions for photography the little duck was enjoying the freedom of the open water and didn’t come within range of my lens. However, I did take a quick record shot for the archives – you can really see why they got their name!
Finally, a Mallard drake flying low above the water in the morning sun:
Oli Gilman Photography 
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