Specifically to see this bird. It was a good excuse to go back to Jerrabomberra, and a good excuse to get out of Sydney for a day.
Very un-photogenic bird; it spent all morning sleeping on the bank farthest from the hides - the only thing distinguishing it from the other waterfowl was the brilliant white breast. Had it been facing away from the water you wouldn't have been able to tell it apart from the other ducks. After lunch, when the sun had moved behind it, it woke up and started feeding. Head down and bum up it was impossible to distinguish from the Australian Shovellers. Even when it came up it wouldn't bring its bill fully out of the water, and with it's lowered head it's breast was underwater, and water rolling around on the mantle made it difficult to tell if it was actually white feathers or the sun's reflection.
The above image is the best photo I got of it all day.
For those not aware, Northern Shovellers are a rare vagrant in Australia, this is the first one recorded from the Australian Capital Territory.
