The sky was cloudy with fog at dawn, but it was rapidly clearing by 8:00, and I went to Thomas Point to see if the ducks had returned in any numbers. They hadn’t. A couple of Swans flew over, and a few Scaup and Bufflehead were rafted, but it didn’t look promising.
I went to nearby Quiet Waters and did much better.
Tundra Swans are large, beautiful birds.
It’s fun to try catching these ducks in flight.
I saw this Red Breasted Merganser at a distance, and when I walked up for a closer shot, he had disappeared.
This Bufflehead hen was travelling with her mate and a raft of Lesser Scaup.
A large flock of Robins was foraging on the water’s edge.
I’ve been taking a regular route through the woods at Quiet Waters in order to see more ducks. I saw this Hooded Merganser and his mates at a distance, and was able to get closer by walking an extra quarter mile.
Takeoff is best described as, “Explosive.”
When these Hooded Mergansers weren’t actively feeding, they were grooming.
This Great Blue Heron flew into the scene as I was photographing the Mergansers.