So there is a Lady in Waiting

I mentioned before in a previous blog that I wondered if there was a companion for the male Ruddy Duck. I saw the pair of them diving together, but no young ones unless this female is a juvenile. Nice to see the two of them , however.

Here he is doing his thing, stiffening the tail and shivering, causing more ripples than usual, but it never amounted to much. Just showing off.

The Kids Are Alright – Lots of Feeding

It is fun to hang out at the viewing platform and see who shows up, either in front, or to the side or behind. The first group I saw were the younger ones, as I walked up the path.

Mom was close behind, keeping an eye on the surroundings.Here come the teenagers through the reeds, their mother just outside of the frame. they  stick close together and with their Mother, talking to each other in their quiet way.

There are Coots too, of two different ages, most still being fed by their parents.

Caught a close-up of this little adventurer.

This one’s enthusiasm gave me reason to laugh. I always say they are so ugly they are cute.

To top it off I saw this youngster, I believe it is a Song Sparrow.

All in all this brief respite gave me great joy. Getting out in nature sure cures the stress of the work day and makes me feel grateful for the creatures that I see and watch.

The Different Moods of a Coot

I saw every mood of the coot the other day at the pond. I saw the parent swimming with the young, helping dive and feed them morsels they caught from under the water. This was the youngest brood I saw, there was another older group of 5-7.

Then it would be alert and call out an aggressive honk. as it  swam closer to another parent, tail feathers raised and head lowered. The female Mallard at this point is standing her ground, so to say.

Then suddenly she or he scooted across the top of the water , half flying, half running chasing the female Mallard away, while all the ducklings watched. They just stayed where they were though, only the adults were involved.

After a charge or two, the Coot returned to her young, showing tenderness and patience toward their insistent peeping.

Female Red-Wing

There have been plenty of posts of the Male Red-Winged Blackbird but I finally got some pleasing ones of a female outside of Edmonton. It was time to eat! Even though she is turned away, I like the focus on her eye on the first photo.

Barn Swallows Sitting Still

They fly so fast  that I am unlikely to catch an images of them flying, but not for a lack of trying. These were at a boardwalk at Big Lake in St Albert. It is a great place to walk and observe many species.Once they get used to people they have no problem stopping and perching right on the boardwalk for our delight.

 

Scaups, Mallards and Wigeons

It is early evening so the focus is not always sharp but the lighting gives a new ambience to the birds. I am not getting out as much as I would like because I broke my toe. I can walk, but in a very SLOW way. I am hoping the healing will be done as predicted in about two more weeks.

It would be nice to find a place to perch and let the birds come to me. In this case, I went with a friend to a local pond and felt such delight watching these ducks and ducklings.

Male Lesser Scaup captured in the setting sun

Male and Female Lesser Scaup,  she wouldn’t turn around, busy eating.

Male Lesser Scaup being quite vocal

Female American Wigeon

Male American Wigeon

I have seen this group a couple of times and hope that they are not orphans because I have never seen the parents. They are Common Goldeneye ducklings.

It is fun to listen to mother “talking” to her brood with soft tones.

Red-winged Blackbird and Crow

The bravery and determination of the male Red-Winged blackbird is impressive, especially whe he is protecting young ones in a nest. Here he has taken on a crow, and believe me, he was inflicting some pain, if I could judge correctly by the sounds that the crow  was making. The Red-Wing was successful in chasing the predator away.