Ducks: Part II

Continuing with photos from my new book, part II of Ducks:

Canvasback

Cinnamon Teal

Eurasion Wigeon

Fulvous Whistling Duck

Gadwall

Lesser Scaup

Redhead and Canvasback

A quick trip over to Agua Caliente Park (which is four miles from us) produced a single Redhead and a Single Canvasback -- amidst a hundred or more ducks. Both are diving ducks as opposed to the myriad of dabbling ducks often found at Agua Caliente. So it takes a more careful search to find.

Sometimes confused at a distance, here you can clearly see the differentiating features and colors. The Canvasback has a longer, straighter, and black bill vs the somewhat upturned, shorter, gray bill with black tip on the Redhead. You can also see that the Canvasback has a darker head than the Redhead. The back of the Canvasback is lighter in color than in the Redhead.

Canvasback

Redhead

Redhead and Canvasback

Birding Green Valley

Yesterday, I headed south looking specifically for the Rufous Capped Warbler at Pena Blanca Lake, the Sinaloa Wren on the Juan Bautista de Anza Trail, and the Pacific Loon in Green Valley.

As can often be the case, no luck on those, although I did get the Pacific Loon at the Amado STP. Unfortunately, you can only view from the west so the morning light is terrible. Add the problem of not being able to get close because of the fence and the photos didn't turn out very well. I'll include one to let you see what I mean.

However, as is often the case, I did come back with some other photos. While there wasn't the Pacific Loon on the Golf Course pond in Green Valley there were 10-15 Canvasbacks and one beautiful male Wood Duck. I was there first thing in the morning (36 degrees) and with the mist coming off the lake got some wonderful shots.

Canvasbacks

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Blue Heron

Wood Duck

Wood Duck

Lark Sparrow in a Mesquite Tree by the pond

Pacific Loon at Amado STP

Santa Cruz Flats - The Alternate Universe

It's winter, so yesterday I was off to Santa Cruz Flats -- as Christine says, the alternate universe. Santa Cruz Flats is an area between Tucson and Phoenix, west of Picacho Peak. It is definitely as the name suggests, flat. Much of it is barren, not even cactus grows there. But much of it is cultivated, mostly cotton and turf farms. As such it is well irrigated and seeded which brings a multitude of birds, including waterbirds and raptors.

Lots of Red Tailed Hawks -- of all color varieties; many American Kestrel's; s a couple Prairie Falcons; a couple Harrier Hawks, and a Ferruginous Hawk. I did not see any Crested Caracaras or Black Vultures which I have seen on previous trips.

I did find a large flock of Mountain Plovers although too far or "flighty" to get good photos. Lots of Ravens too.

Here are a few photos from yesterdays trip:

Yellow Headed Blackbird

American Kestrel

Canvasback

Prairie Falcon

Ferruginous Hawk

Ferruginous Hawk

Horned Lark

Diving Ducks

Ducks are sometimes challenging to photograph. First, is finding the intended species.  Most ducks migrate so time of year is often important. Your choice of lakes is also important since some lakes draw a wider variety of waterfowl than others. Usually you don't know exactly what you will find. You may have a good idea that Mallards or Northern Shovelers will be around. But, even if you find them, getting close is somewhat problematic since they are in water and you are on land. If you are in a public park then it is a little easier because the ducks may be more accustomed to people and may in fact come closer to the water's edge. But in the more remote areas there are other problems. Ducks don't always sit calmly for a good profile photo. You want them to be close and in the right direction -- as opposed to swimming away from you and just showing you their "rear-end." Lighting, is a whole other issue itself, unless you just want silhouettes. With Dabbling Ducks you often just see the tail because the head is underwater. With Diving Ducks you might take a photo only to realize once you get home that all that's in your photo is a splash of water where the duck was. 

Diving ducks are different from dabbling ducks in that they -- you guessed it -- dive for their food. Diving ducks swim underwater to feed on aquatic vegetation, insects, and occasionally small fish. They can dive deeply and are strong swimmers so they dive for protection from predators as well as for food. Unlike dabbling ducks, they are very awkward on land. Diving ducks are found most often on large bodies of water such as lakes, bays, and estuaries. All of my Diving Ducks can be found throughout the United States at various times of the year. Here are my photos of Diving Ducks:

Barrow's Goldeneye

photo taken at Lake Chopaka, Northcentral Washington

Common Goldeneye

photo taken too long ago to remember exactly -- somewhere in British Columbia

Bufflehead

photo taken at Davis Lake, Oregon

Canvasback

photo taken at Potholes, Central Washington

Lesser Scaup

photo taken at Agua Caliente, Arizona

Redhead Duck

photo taken at Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, California

Ring Necked Duck

photo taken at Agua Caliente, Arizona

Ruddy Duck

photo taken at Sweetwater Wetlands, Arizona