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Monday, November 14, 2016

November at Heinz NWR

Last Friday was another delightful late Fall day, which once again challenged my prejudice that November is the Blah-Month. Lots of waterfowl, and even a few small things-with-wings ...

Clouded Sulphur

Autumn Meadowhawk

Green-winged Teal

Heinz NWR - Philadelphia Airport in background

Carolina Wren

Question Mark

Gadwall

Tufted Titmouse

Carolina Chickadee

Good Birding!

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Songbirds finish their breeding season and head south. The boys hang with the boys, and the girls with the girls, and life is peaceful until Spring returns and hormones flow again.

Not so with the waterfowl. They head south, mix among their species, and seem to get right at the battle for the sexes. Yesterday in Cape May, I watched wild aggression among several American Wigeons. When my companion asked me what was going on, I replied, "A couple of men are fighting over a woman."

I'm not being sexist, nor stereotyping. It is what happens among wintering waterfowl.

This drake American Wigeon is not stretching his wings; he is posturing toward a rival male ...

Birds of North America describes it this way: "Intraspecific aggression (threatening posture, rushing, chasing, biting, bill grabbing, pushing, and pursuit flights) is a common component of courtship, pair formation, and territorial defense. Most aggressive encounters on the wintering grounds, during migration, and early in breeding season occur during courtship and pair formation between conspecific."

Here are three more photos of the aggressive behavior ...

On a trip to Cape May in late October, I watched Mute Swans engaged in the same aggression - a male trying to drive off a potential rival. Nearby, a female just watched.

Although a bit more subdued, this shows courtship/pair bonding between a drake and hen Gadwahl. No aggression here, but the drake lurking in the background may soon provoke other reactions ...

Open, raised bills are often part of waterfowl pair bonding - foreground, Gadwahl pair - a 2nd drake looks on

We do not need to wait until the Spring to watch avian antics motivated by sex. Just look for wintering waterfowl.

Good Birding!

Friday, February 10, 2012

Dabblers on the Wing 2

Please see previous post for a few comments about dabblers in flight and photography.

Gadwall (l, male - r, female)

Mallard -females

Northern Pintail - l, 2 females - r, male

Northern Shoveler - (Fall or Young) Male

Good Birding !!

Tuesday, February 07, 2012

Dabblers on the Wing

Ducks typically fly past the birdwatcher so fast that it is difficult to pick up the field marks that we use when the bird is on land or water. Photography has helped me freeze those moments and gain the "ha-ha" that helps me identify them the next time they make the quick overhead passage.

But, photographing birds on the wing is not easy. Trying to do so has caused me to upgrade my camera equipment several times, from point-and-shoots (wrought with frustration) to the Canon 7D I now use.

Even so, the poor photos have learning value. I begin with 4 such photos which I share only because they do capture those fleeting marks which help identify a duck in flight. (My next post will step up the photo quality.)

American Black Duck

Gadwall

Green-winged Teal (female)

Mallard (female)

Good Birding !!

Monday, January 23, 2012

Dabblers Take Flight

The dabbling ducks (Genus Anas) are inhabitants of marshes, ponds, and small lakes. These habitats often are thick and tangled. When danger comes, they have to get up and out quickly. They leap into the air - virtually straight up - and then get going.

Taking flight in this manner is very different from almost all other other waterfowl, which need a running start - often a very long running start.

When any of these birds take flight, it happens so fast that we can easily miss the details. My photography is a relatively new addition to my birding (about 6 years - less than 3 with good equipment). Freezing the moment with the camera has allowed me to see the detail and to learn - plus, it's fun!

This first photograph captures dabbling ducks as they "leap" into flight. In subsequent posts, I will have details from a burst of photos. This is the first in that burst.

Mallard (drake) and 3 Northern Pintails (females) "leap" from the water's surface

In the next photo, a Gadwall is in the air, while American Coots are just beginning to "run" on the water's surface in order to gather enough speed to get airborne.

A Gadwall "leaps" into flight while American Coots "run" to take flight

The mixed flock of Green-winged Teal and Northern Pintail are on the wing. The American Coot (lower left) is still running, not quite airborne. Note the splashes from the coot's feet.

Green-winged Teal and Northern Pintail - American Coot lower left

To illustrate the contrast with the dabblers, next are two photographs of mergansers. Mergansers are adept divers with legs located toward the rear of the body to assist as they swim underwater; this also makes them very awkward on land. When taking off, they need room to run ...

Common Mergansers (hens)

Hood Merganser (hen)

Where dabblers leap into the air, American Coots patter across the water, flapping furiously in the effort to get airborne. They are tough, adaptable, and common - and thoroughly entertaining. Watching them take flight, or watching them doing whatever they may be doing, will explain the origin of such phrases as - "He is crazy as a coot." - or - "He's a crazy old coot." (This last saying is one I am beginning to find offensive.)