Saturday, March 5, 2011

Here a Duck, There a Duck, Everywhere a Duck Duck...

After going to the ACC show, I decided I may as well swing by the Irondequoit Bay Outlet into Lake Ontario on my way home.

Unfortunately, I was not dressed for the very cold weather. The ducks were everywhere and so many different kinds. I again went Friday morning and spotted these two American Wigeons (male and female), a species I hadn't seen before.

Here you can see the facial white on the male Wigeon. He did have the iridescent green head as well so I can add these birds to my list!
There were the everpresent Greylag Geese and this one was more distinctive than the rest. The geese (both Greylag and Canada) are very, very noisy now!!
Here is a group of Redheads and Scaups -- there were Greater and Lesser Scaups there today and LOTS of Redheads.
More Redheads and Scaups.



This was a particularly handsome Red Breasted Merganser who was hanging out with the gang!





Of course the male and female Scaups were with the Merganser constantly.





Here is a Common Goldeneye (the one to the left) with a Scaup.








I had never seen American Coots up here but there are several there now.









Here is a Common Merganser with a couple of Redheads.











Another new sighting (although they were really distant) were the Canvasbacks. Another birder was there and commented that he had seen a lot of these the past few days mixed in with the Redheads. I finally spotted them off in the distance and he confirmed I was right!
This birder also showed me pictures of the Wood Ducks he had taken that morning at the Outlet. He said he had seen eagles and Harlequin Ducks here also on different days as well as the falcons. There are nesting eagles at the foot of the bay now although I haven't seen them yet. Another thing to look forward to.
Another closer picture of the Red Breasted male Merganser. I think he is quite handsome.
With the usual ducks, geese and gulls, I counted 14 different species mingling in the icy water. And this is a 7 1/2 minute commute from my house!! Awesome....

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