About three months ago, one of the Asian photographers that takes bird pictures at White Rock Lake showed me the area and the picture of a Mandrain Duck he had photographed that day. I have walked the recess areas looking for the duck since with no luck except to see it one time from afar and in an area where access was not possible except by boat.
Then, this past couple of days, two of the local news stations that go out a couple of days a week on location shots reported (with pictures) that a rare Mandrain had been seen in Irving. Now, since Mandrains are from Asia--half way round the world--there should not be two on the loose locally. Or, at least common logic says that there should not be any, let alone two. And, if they have been documented at both White Rock and in Irving, that same logic seems to say that it is the same duck.Furthermore, that the duck most likely slipped away from a zoo's aviary somewhere close. Well, close being relative to not half a world away at any rate.
So, while the masses were voting (I voted early the first day) and the weather was delightfully spring, it was off to the park in Irving in search of an elusive mandrain duck. As a side bar, the duck at White Rock was seen about a week after my Asian friend made mention and showed me the picture. Yes, his image date in-camera was checked. When it was seen, however, it was from a distance and not accessible, but it was a Mandrain duck none-the-less. It should also be noted that this photographer loves mandrain duck on the table but now having seen one in real life, ordering up a mandrain will never happen again. They are just to pretty of a bird to eat.
At the same time, while talking to a few photographers and birders on the banks of the river the reports were that no one had seen the little mandrain that the news reports called "frankie" or "fluffy" or "flakey".Whatever. Still, with some faith that luck would come my way, maybe, my walk started down the trail on one side of the river to the bridge at 6th street, across the low water spillway which was totally dry for crossing, and back up the other side of the river. The walk on down to the recreation center and the second crossover was not made this trip. A couple of years ago walking the same route had been done with the Nikon but never shot with the Olympus and the short lens. So, with no mandrain to report this trip, at least the trip generated some stock updates which need to be done from time to time anyway. So, the trip was not a total loss.
Earlier in the morning, my live news agent sent me an email telling me that the UK dailies were very interested in the American elections and mentioned a hand full of shot types that they were looking for. Upon leaving the Historic District in Irving my goal was to find some active poling places that were somewhat unusual or had dogs being watched while voters were inside voting but not one turned up on my route. After returning home and already changed into my comfort cloths, it was being reported on the news that some voting places had run out of ballets and lines were long. No, the sense of urgency to get those kinds of shots were not in the cards anymore that day! But, here are a few shots from the river in the Historic District of Irving.
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| The Shelter House. I have always thought of this as a Cathedral on the water |
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| Under the 6th Street bridge |
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| The first of two low water crossovers when they are dry. They are closed when water begins to overflow for safety reasons. |
