female goosander

Been a long time since I've been up Huggy. Strong sunshine today, although still minus 5000... The Goosanders in the loch are really used to people, and come in really close, which is not my experience in the wild. This female told me she still hasn't moved on from punk, and nobody can top...

Appears to be more Goosanders around my neck of the woods year on year.

A first - had never saw one in the act of eating before - always after the fact.

Up at Hogganfield Loch today at lunchtime - must have been at least 30 Goosanders. Sun actually came out for a bit!

Goosanders from last year at Hogganfield Loch. They've become very bold, and, sawbills or not, compete with the large population of birds for the bread donated from families who come in huge numbers to "feed the ducks". They come in very close to the edge, to the point where I've got...

Lots of goosanders about, and coming incredibly close, tempted by the kids "feeding the ducks".

female goosander the other day behaviour i have never seen like a submarine scanning below.i,m always learning.

today the female goosander.got a few photos before she got caught up in the parent mute swans chasing their young,then she flew off.

I set off early in good light to walk the river, but by the time I'd finished a good Samaritan deed, I'd lost the best part of half an hour and the light was beginning to fade. No sign of any dippers but espied this Goosander sitting on a rock in the most awkward place for a photograph! Tried...

The same Goosander as the other day but this time she's showing her face! Matey was a hundred yards or so upstream and she padded off to join him.

There were two pairs of Goosanders the other two had gone backwards downstream (I wonder why they do that?). I thought she was on her own until I saw her mate just after taking this picture. She was burying her face in the water but didn't appear to be feeding, so not quite sure what she was doing.

Goosanders are not very easy to approach, Just crept up behind some reeds to take this shot, as she dived, waiting for her to surface. Not the best of shots but its different.