I had planned to return to Blackwater, and the weatherman predicted a very good day, so I made the hour and a half drive, arriving about 8:00 AM.
I was greeted by a Kingfisher, Bald Eagles continued in good numbers, and I captured an American Coot, a first for me.
Several other birds cooperated, and I’m going to have to go back before the Winter is over.
This Belted Kingfisher flew shortly after I spotted him, but even this distant shot is decent.
Great Blue Herons are easy to find at Blackwater, but I’m still slightly shocked to see them in trees.
I had to move quite a distance to get a good angle on this Bald Eagle.
I was pleased to find this American Coot, as it’s a first for me.
Cornell:
“The waterborne American Coot is one good reminder that not everything that floats is a duck. A close look at a coot—that small head, those scrawny legs—reveals a different kind of bird entirely. Their dark bodies and white faces are common sights in nearly any open water across the continent, and they often mix with ducks. But they’re closer relatives of the gangly Sandhill Crane and the nearly invisible rails than of Mallards or teal.”
It’s unusual for me to get this close to a Great Blue Heron .
Wildlife Drive runs right through the marshes at Blackwater, and I usually make two circuits. This Red Tailed Hawk was waiting for me at the beginning of the second loop.
The Northern Shoveller can be hard to photograph, as he is constantly moving to feed.
OK, too many Great Blue Herons, but how do you pass up a shot like this?
This Snow Goose is a juvenile.
The most recent census counted 8800 Canada Geese at the refuge.
Several Tundra Swans flew over.