If this is a Paradise Shelduck, it’s rather far from its usual home in New Zealand. I spotted it at Manly Dam, near Sydney in Australia.

It’s a big duck. At first I wasn’t sure whether it was a duck or a goose. This one is a female, as you can tell from its white head and neck. The male has a dark head.

She took to the water:

And showed a bit of ankle:

Common name: Paradise Shelduck

Scientific name: Tadorna variegata

Approximate length: 63-70 cm

Date spotted: 26 November 2016

Season: Spring

Location: Manly Dam Reserve, New South Wales, Australia

Latitude/longitude: 33°46’58.0″S 151°15’18.9″E