Ducks

For the Ducks I'll take a few at a time:

American Wigeon Female

American Wigeon Male

Barrows Goldeneye Male and Female

Black Bellied Whistling Duck

Blue Winged Teal

Bufflehead

Wildlife at Fort Lowell Park, Tucson

Fort Lowell Park in Tucson is one of those Municipal Parks that attracts birds both common and uncommon. While I prefer wilderness areas, these Muni's deserve a look every now and then. Last year a Yellow Bellied Sapsucker hang out there for several months. And, while my quick trip the other day didn't uncover anything rare or unusual, it did provide some photos:

Double Crested Cormorant

European Starling

Great Tailed Grackle

American Wigeon - male

American Wigeon - female

Red Eared Slider

Agua Caliente - Part V

Agua Caliente also has a full array of the usual ducks and coots. Nothing really unique. Lake Cochise is probably the best place to see sandpipers, curlews, godwits, avocets, stilts, etc. Coming from the Northwest where waterbirds are as plentiful as house sparrows, I sometimes overlook them here in Arizona. But, where there is water there is usually wildlife. Here are some of the ducks from Agua Caliente:

American Wigeon

Mallard Chicks

Ring Necked Duck

Northern Shoveler

Cinnamon Teal

Agua Caliente

Up at dawn this morning and it occurred to me I didn't have to make breakfast for anyone. So I hopped in the Jeep and headed over to Agua Caliente -- Hot Water. Or, the name of a regional park about four miles from us. There is a pond of, at most, 10 acres but it attracts water  birds. I have seen Great Egrets, Green Herons, Black Crowned Night Herons, Great Blue Herons, an Osprey, Belted Kingfishers, Peregrine Falcons, Great Horned Owls, Cooper's Hawks, Sharp Shinned Hawks, Red Tailed Hawks, and an assortment of small birds like Vermillion Flycatchers, Western Tanagers, Orioles, and Cedar Waxwings among others. But, today one Great Blue Heron and some of the winter ducks:

Great Blue Heron

Mallard Duck

Ring-necked Duck

American Wigeon

Other Reflections

Sometimes reflections are easy -- right in front of you -- bird in still water. Sometimes the reflection isn't as obvious as in the first photo of the American Avocets. Here is wasn't until I got home and had a chance to really look at my photos of the day that I realized it was special -- almost an abstract painting. Sometimes, as in the last to photos of the ducks, the color gives you a wonderful surprise, something more than just a reflection.

American Avocet at Whitewater Draw, Arizona

Black Necked Stilt at Sweetwater Wetlands, Arizona

Killdeer at Blue Lake, Washington

Long Billed Dowitcher at Lake Cochise, Arizona

Northern Shoveler at Mercer Slough, Washington

American Wigeon at Davis Lake, Oregon

Dabbling Ducks

A "Dabbling Duck" is a shallow water duck that feeds primarily along the surface of the water or by tipping headfirst into the water to graze on aquatic plants and vegetation. These ducks are infrequent divers and are usually found in small ponds, rivers and other shallow waterways. Dabbling ducks also forage on land for seeds and insects. Physically, they have flat, broad bills and float high on the water while swimming and they tend to be very vocal birds. Some of these Dabbling Ducks seem to "dabble" more often than not. The Northern Shoveler for example is usually got his head under water so you only see his tail. In terms of distribution, the Fulvous Whistling Duck is only found in the southernmost parts of Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. The Mexican Mallard is only found in Southern Arizona, New Mexico, and Mexico. The Eurasion Wigeon is only found in the northern Pacific. The Cinnamon Teal is only found in the Western United States. All others (Mallard, Gadwall, Northern Pintail, American Wigeon, Northern Shoveler, Blue Winged Teal, and Green Winged Teal are found throughout North America.

American Wigeon

photo taken at Harriett Lake, Oregon

Eurasion Wigeon

photo taken at Union Bay, Washington

Blue Winged Teal

photo taken at Mercer Slough

Cinnamon Teal

photo taken at Sweetwater Wetlands, Arizona

Green Winged Teal

photo taken at Padilla Bay, Washington

Mallard Duck

photo taken at Mercer Slough, Washington

Mexican Mallard

photo taken at San Pedro River, Arizona

Fulvous Whistling Duck

photo taken at San Pedro River, Arizona

Gadwall

photo taken at Union Bay, Washington

Northern Pintail

photo taken at Davis Lake, Oregon

Northern Shoveler

photo taken at Sweetwater Wetlands, Arizona