Tag Archives: Duck

Hooded Merganser Trio

And a photobombing turtle!

Hooded Mergansers
Hooded Mergansers

One of them was fanning her tail feathers in quite a display.

Hooded Mergansers
Hooded Mergansers

I’m assuming they are female but it is possible that one or all of them are juvenile males, not females.

Hooded Mergansers
Hooded Mergansers

A lone male Hooded Merganser was on the other side of the pond but he opted not to check this trio out up close.

Hooded Merganser
Hooded Merganser

Cypress Wetlands, Port Royal, SC
February 27, 2023

 

Hooded Merganser with Snack

A big snack!

Hooded Merganser with Snack
Hooded Merganser with Snack

Some kind of a tadpole from the shape and way bigger than the duck’s mouth.

Hooded Merganser with Snack
Hooded Merganser with Snack

So big she took it for a ride before trying to swallow it, and slapped it in the water a couple of times.

Hooded Merganser with Snack
Hooded Merganser with Snack

Two other Mergansers that were following along so she changed course. Shortly after this image she swallowed it.

Hooded Merganser with Snack
Hooded Merganser with Snack

Cypress Wetlands, Port Royal, SC
February 27, 2023

 

Blue-winged Teals

Despite the green patch seen in the middle duck here, these are Blue-winged Teals.

Blue-winged Teals
Blue-winged Teals

A slight shift of the wing and you can see just the powder blue patch, and the more distinctive white patch on the male’s head.

Blue-winged Teals
Blue-winged Teals

This trio had all been either feeding or bathing.

Blue-winged Teal
Blue-winged Teal

A good shake put the feathers to rights.

Blue-winged Teal
Blue-winged Teal

Orlando Wetlands, Christmas, FL
January 18, 2023

Orlando Wetlands Park is 1650 acres of man-made wetland designed to provide advanced treatment for reclaimed water from the City of Orlando and other local cities.

Trio of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks

We had been alerted to the presence of these Black-bellied Whistling Ducks by another visitor to the Wildlife Management Area. Sure enough, they were still hanging out in the same spot.

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks
Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

I walked by them on the dike and they were unfazed.

Black-bellied Whistling Duck
Black-bellied Whistling Duck

Their feet are quite adaptable to stand on a variety of uneven surfaces.

Black-bellied Whistling Duck
Black-bellied Whistling Duck

These wooden boxes are installed to support breeding Wood Ducks, but the Black-bellied Whistling Ducks have been taking them over the last few years.

Black-bellied Whistling Duck
Black-bellied Whistling Duck

Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
May 15, 2022