Category Archives: Duck

Duck

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

March 23, 2024 Ellen Jennings Leave a comment

I estimated at least 750 Black-bellied Whistling Ducks in a couple of impoundments at Savannah National Wildlife Refuge last week.

The few that were close enough for photos were lined up in grass clumps.

We arrived shortly after sunrise and the ducks were pretty quiet.

A few were in a watchful mode and some appeared to be sleeping.

A wider view of some of the crowd, the dots in the sky are swallows, swooping for bugs.

Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive, Hardeeville, SC
March 13, 2024

Duck

Ruddy Duck in Lily Pads

March 22, 2024 Ellen Jennings Leave a comment

A female or immature Ruddy Duck was paddling between some small lily pads. I believe this is the first one I’ve seen in the wild.

Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive, Hardeeville, SC
March 13, 2024

Duck

Wood Duck Pair, Paddling

March 7, 2024 Ellen Jennings 2 Comments

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
March 4, 2024

Duck

Hooded Mergansers In Creek

February 27, 2024 Ellen Jennings 7 Comments

A small group of Hooded Mergansers was idly swimming a section of an inlet off Shem Creek.

I expected to see them diving for food, but they just bobbed along.

Not sure what caused this kerfuffle and it was over in a second.

Shem Creek, Mount Pleasant, SC
February 9, 2024

Duck

Northern Shoveler Reflections

January 24, 2024 Ellen Jennings 9 Comments

A female or immature Northern Shoveler was feeding on her own, with a nice reflection from my angle.

One of the dabbling ducks, Shovelers feed on aquatic invertebrates and seeds, usually sweeping their beak side to side. In deeper water they will perform the full body dunk.

They are identified by their distinctive wide bill.

Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, Florida

January 1, 2024

Duck

Wood Ducks, Far Away

December 21, 2023 Ellen Jennings Leave a comment

There are Wood Ducks around, but they are almost always heading away from me.

Alligators don’t seem to bother them much.

Wood Ducks and Alligator on new floating platform

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
November 16, 2023

Duck

Female Hooded Merganser With Crayfish

December 5, 2023 Ellen Jennings 1 Comment

A female Hooded Merganser swam by with some kind of crayfish or fresh water shrimp.

I didn’t catch her swallowing it, but when she turned back just the antenna were visible out the side of her beak.

Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
November 30, 2023

Duck

Female Hooded Mergansers Feeding

December 4, 2023 Ellen Jennings Leave a comment

These four female Hooded Mergansers spread out a little bit and alternated diving.

They were quite successful at capturing their prey, some kind of crayfish or fresh water shrimp.

Looking through the camera lens you don’t always realize everything that is happening in a scene

— and up popped another duck!

And just as quickly one dove.

then another.

Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
November 30, 2023

Duck

Hooded Mergansers

December 2, 2023 Ellen Jennings Leave a comment

A small flock of Hooded Mergansers paddled across the pond, passing by a number of Great Egrets that were just standing around.

The ducks came relative close to me, much to my surprise.

The reeds at the edge of the pond, which so often spoil a shot, this time provided something of a viewing blind.

Hooded Mergansers feed by diving for prey and were finding a good run of crayfish in this spot.

Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
November 30, 2023

Duck

Wood Duck

May 29, 2023 Ellen Jennings Leave a comment

A couple of male Wood Ducks were patrolling around the recently cleared Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. And without the cattail overgrowth they were easy to see.

Not that they came close and seemed determined to not give me the well lit shot I hoped for.

This male was following along his mate and eight or ten offspring.

A wider view, them all heading away from me in the mosquito fern covered pond.

The male was trying to encourage the group to turn back the other way, but the rest of them weren’t having it.

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
April 15, 2023