Bushy Park duckling picture wins Irish Examiner reader photographer competitors

This picture “Tufty Duck” was captured on a Canon R7 with a zoom lens by Carol McCabe from close by Rathfarnham who picked up her digital camera for the primary time three years in the past and started taking pictures of wildlife. 

Today, she is the winner of the highest prize for the reader’s photographer competitors within the Irish Examiner.

“I spend a lot of time at the Dodder River down the road,” she said. “I work as a sacramental co-ordinator in the parish, and I love taking photos in my spare time” she mentioned.

This specific picture was taken in June 2025 after her fellow photographers spoke concerning the Tufty geese in Bushy Park.

“I went there and saw a lot of baby ducks jumping up and down on mammy’s backs” she mentioned.

“I bought very near the again of the mammy and this specific toddler, leaned in opposition to the mam and it stayed there for whereas, and I took the picture.

“I assumed it was very cute as a result of I liked the best way he was leaning in opposition to the mom, and I felt a type of affection between the 2.

Carol had the picture printed off and confirmed it to some associates who mentioned she ought to enter it into a contest.

“I mentioned ‘OK’, and despatched it into the Irish Examiner after which I heard it was within the paper. 

To have the {photograph} revealed was completely overwhelming. I can’t consider it.

“When the picture editor Jim rang and said I won the competition, it was real moment for me. I still can’t believe it.” 

“With wildlife, you just never know what you are going to capture that day, so many people were out looking for the Kingfisher’s that day, and I captured this. I am delighted.” 

Runners up embrace “On the Fly”, a lesser home fly takes refuge on the wing of a drone fly whereas it fights off an undesirable march fly by Barry Enright from Kerry.

And a juvenile sand martin questioning the way to catch flies all by itself by Chris Martin from Cork City, who was a earlier total winner in 2022 for the pictures of three howler monkeys in Fota.