Mandarin

Long Tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis)

This sea duck lives in flocks and is usually seen a long way from the shore. They are very active and the flocks flying fast over the sea often resemble Awks. They feed mainly on small molluscs and crustaceans such as crabs taken from the sea floor in deep dives.

They breed in small numbers in Scandinavia with many more in Iceland and Arctic Russia. They nest near small pools on the tundra or in mountain areas further south. The 5 - 7 eggs are incubated by the female and hatch after 24 - 29 days.

These photographs were taken at Stromness in the Orkney Islands and in Scapa Flow from the Dawn Star II boat. The flight shots were taken on a 300mm lens with a 2x teleconverter, this was to allow for easy movement on the boat. The profile image is from the harbour at Stromness.