I was in conniptions of joy when I noticed two ducks on the lake – a stunning black and white and a browny – weren’t just being very unnoticeable, they were diving. Then I was in conniptions of anger as they wouldn’t stop.
I don’t have many photos of them, and the male will certainly have to wait, but this is a female Tufted Duck.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/t/tuftedduck/index.asp
What that doesn’t tell you is that the male is visually stunning. He is a very distinctive bird, and the one on the lake is quite shy; the female will come closer to humans (and other waterfowl). She’s rather nice, she is.
This is his gorgeousness.
They’re both very quiet, though, and easily startled. And if you’ve never tried to catch a diving duck coming back up… well… you have never been so frustrated. ><
It’s also not the most common of birds, either.
