Swans, Geese, and Ducks

For whatever reason, I've always love photographing ducks.  These are the species I have photographed.

Wood Duck Pair on the Olentangy

Columbus, Ohio June 5, 2011

I don't think of the Olentangy River in the city of Columbus as a hotspot for wood ducks.  Normally you'd think of a more rural area with plenty of wet swamps but trees.  But each year I spot wood ducks near Kenney Park.  They're much more wary than the local mallards, so most of my photos are from afar.  I hope you are enjoying my little trip back to the Olentangy River, which is where spent much of my free time in 2007 and 2008.

Tom

Delaware Wildlife Area Birds

Turkey Vulture

This is the ROAD to a boat launch, completely flooded!

Redheads

Canvasbacks

Red-winged Blackbird

Pintail

Redhead

Ring-neck ducks

The flooded Delaware Wildlife area is teeming with waterfowl and other birds right now- it's an amazing place to be.  Yesterday I was able to photograph Canvasbacks for the first time, one of my favorite ducks.

Happy Spring-

Tom

Drake American Wigeon

American Wigeon, AKA Baldplate, Anas americana

I have had several excellent opportunities to photograph American Wigeons this winter, and to be honest, I just love this duck now. That green and white head and salt-and-pepper cheeks and neck really work. These birds beg to be photographed. And the ones at Blendon Woods frequently come close to the observation buildings, allowing great viewing opportunities.

Tom

American Black Duck

Drake American Black Duck, Anas rubripes
I must tell you, that before I moved to Columbus and frequented the Walden waterfowl refuge at Blendon Woods, I had never heard of a "black duck". My introduction to waterfowl was at Blendon Woods, and each year, several hundred individuals winter on the pond that is kept ice free by several aerators that constantly move the water. The black duck looks similar to a mallard, but the males lack the bright green head, and overall, they have a very dark appearance.

The males and females are quite similar, but the best way to tell them apart is to exampine their bills. Males have yellow bills, while the female's bill is brownish.

In a few weeks the black ducks at Blendon Woods will fly north to their breeding grounds. I'm hoping a few more diving ducks join them before the waterfowl migration, now in full swing, is over.


Male and female American Black Ducks

Tom

The Shoveler Armada

This afternoon below the dam, Hoover Reservoir, Columbus, Ohio.

And if you like ducks, don't miss the upcoming Waterfowl Symposium being held right here in Columbus, including field trips, some of which will be visiting this very spot.

Wonderful Waterfowl

The valley of Big Walnut Creek, just downstream from Hoover Dam and Reservoir, part of the Big Walnut Audubon Ohio Important Bird area.

In the pool below the dam is one my favorite spots to photograph birds, and last Saturday this area did not dissapoint. The reservoir was frozen, so the the pool below the dam was full of waterfowl.

Common Goldeneye

Hooded Merganser with Fish

Ruddy Duck

Northern Shoveler

Gadwall

Mallard

American Wigeon, Male above, female below

If you haven't discovered how interesting waterfowl can be, the Hoover reservoir is a great place to start. During migration, thousands of ducks raft on the open waters. And in the winter, when much of the reservoir is frozen, just below the dam is a great place for close encounters with our quacky friends.

Tom

Pintail!

Yesterday afternoon, a beautifully sunny and cold central Ohio day, I stopped at Blendon Woods Metroparks to see what had flown in to Thoreau Lake. There are two great unheated observation buildings at the edge of the lake, and they make bird photography really easy. The building to the right is great for feeder birds, and the left building provides the best opportunities for waterfowl. After scanning the ice free areas of the pond, I could only come up with black ducks, mallards, Canada geese, and two gadwals. But then something caught my eye- a bright white neck. Without binoculars, and without being able to view it with the gigantic metal spotting scope in the building because the bird had positioned itself where it was blocked by the corner support of the building, this bird remained a mystery.

In the field, the white belly, brown head, and white neck really stood out. Was it a northern pintail? But it didn't have the typical long pointed butt feathers (technical term please?). Sure enough, after looking at several northern pintail pictures online, I think that is what we have here. But why no long tail? That is the question. Is this a juvenile?

Tom

P.S. This is my 699 post here at the Ohio Nature Blog. Also- We now have 99 followers here. Help me push it over 100!

Tom