Ducking and diving: Irish Examiner Readers' Photography Competition winner unveiled

The overall winner of the Irish Examiner Readers' Photography Competition 2025, 'Tufty Duck' — a lovely shot of a Tufted duck with baby on board in Bushy Park, Dublin City. Picture: Carol McCabe

A fluffy Tufted duckling rests on its mother’s back on a summer’s day in Bushy Park in the leafy suburbs of south Dublin.

Mum sits with pride as she floats along the pond in the park, as passersby stop to take photographs of the cute duo.

This image “Tufty Duck” was captured on a Canon R7 with a zoom lens by Carol McCabe from nearby Rathfarnham who picked up her camera for the first time three years ago and began taking images of wildlife. 

Today, she is the winner of the top prize for the reader’s photographer competition in the Irish Examiner.

Carol McCabe, with her image of a tufted duck with baby on board that she took at Bushy Park in Dublin — the overall winner in the Irish Examiner Readers Photography Competition 2025. Picture: Moya Nolan

“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 said.

This particular image was taken in June 2025 after her fellow photographers spoke about the Tufty ducks in Bushy Park.

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

Carol McCabe from Rathfarnham, Dublin, who has won the Irish Examiner Readers Photography Competition 2025. Picture: Moya Nolan

“I got very close to the back of the mammy and this particular little one, leaned against the mam and it stayed there for a good while, and I took the image.

“I thought it was very cute because I loved the way he was leaning against the mother, and I felt a form of affection between the two.

Carol had the image printed off and showed it to some friends who said she should enter it into a competition.

The Irish Examiner Readers' Photography Competition 2025 runner up: 'On the Fly' — a lesser house fly taking refuge on the wing of a drone fly while it fights off an unwanted March fly. Picture: Bryan Enright, Kerry

“I said 'OK', and sent it into the Irish Examiner and then I heard it was in the paper. 

To have the photograph published was absolutely overwhelming. I can’t believe 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.” 

The Irish Examiner Readers' Photography Competition 2025 runner up: A juvenile sand martin wondering how to catch flies all by itself. The photo was taken on the River Bride in Blackpool, Cork City. Picture: Chris Martin, Cork.

Runners up include "On the Fly", a lesser house fly takes refuge on the wing of a drone fly while it fights off an unwanted march fly by Barry Enright from Kerry.

And a juvenile sand martin wondering how to catch flies all by itself by Chris Martin from Cork City, who was a previous overall winner in 2022 for the photography of three howler monkeys in Fota.