Showing posts for '#waterfowl'. Clear search
Great Catch
February 27, 2023 - I have watched this osprey come and go for several weeks now, always circling the small harbor off the Indian River. Mos...
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Dabbler
January 30, 2023 - While the female makes a familiar "quacking sound" this male mallard mostly is quiet except when fighting.
The male is...
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Colorful
January 27, 2023 - The wood duck is Florida's most colorful duck. It migrates down from the northern US and Canada.
It is a "dabbling duck...
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All Aglow
May 13, 2022 - This male mallard took advantage of some brief sunshine to capture the light and show off his beautiful colors.
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Perching Duck
May 09, 2022 - Wood ducks often are referred to as "Carolina Ducks".
They nest in trees typically in hollowed out nests of squirrels,...
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Breeding Season
May 05, 2022 - In terms of weather, April has been more like March with gray skies, snowy days, lots of wind and freezing temps at nigh...
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Splish Splash
May 04, 2022 - One day recently a flock of Ring-necked ducks suddenly appeared at the far end of our lake. They all were in breeding pl...
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Exploring New Waters
April 29, 2022 - This is a breeding Ring necked duck. They returned en masse a few days ago, stayed for a few days and disappeared as qui...
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White Pelican
December 02, 2021 - The brown pelican is found year-round in Florida. Adult white pelicans are winter visitors to the state. During the summ...
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The Catch
October 29, 2021 - After standing motionless - - that's the both of us -- for quite some time, this egret was rewarded with an unsuspecting...
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Early Autumn
October 21, 2021 - The air has begun to get chilly early morning, the leaves have begun to display their colors and the birds are congregat...
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Great Blue
October 19, 2021 - The Great Blue Heron is the largest and most widespread heron in North America.
It is a big bird, with a slate-gray bod...
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Whistling Duck
October 18, 2021 - This Black Bellied Whistling Duck can be recognized by its brilliant pink bill and an unusual, long-legged silhouette....
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Cautious Predator
October 05, 2021 - Checking the area for possible prey or just checking around to ensure that there are no intruders close by. Either way,...
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High Lookout
September 30, 2021 - It's lunchtime. Perched and watching for movement below.
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Feeding Pelicans
September 23, 2021 - The baitfish pods were riding the waves and the pelicans were cruising the tops of the waves and feasting on the bait po...
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Searching
September 22, 2021 - Flying in circles lower and lower until the baitfish are sighted and then the diving begins.
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Border Security
June 16, 2021 - With the nest nearby and the cygnets are in the area, geese are not welcome.
In fact, neither are other swans, muskrats...
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Morning Takeoff
June 15, 2021 - When the mute swan lift off with their almost 6 foot wingspread, you can here the wing beats all the way across the lake...
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Mute Swan & Cygnets
June 11, 2021 - These multicolored cygnets that are growing quickly soon will be all white just like the pen - - "MOM".
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The Chase Is On
June 08, 2021 - Anytime geese get too close to the swans' nest or the young cygnets, the male swan (the pen) does not hesitate to announ...
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Keep Your Distance
June 07, 2021 - This is what happens when you get to close to a goose and its goslings. Of course, turnabout is fair play as the geese o...
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Mute Swan & Cygnets
June 04, 2021 - Mom is out showing off the remaining cygnets who certainly have grown since they left the nest. I guess that is what eat...
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Hard to Swallow
June 02, 2021 - When the tide rolls out the fishing gets easier. This pelican was drifting around close to the shoreline having an easy...
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Togetherness
May 26, 2021 - After only 15 days from hatching, the four cygnets that have successfully evaded the predators remain safe and stay clos...
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Battle Is On
May 25, 2021 - Once again, a Canadian goose trues to enter the perimeter of the swan's territory. Given their relative size, the goose...
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Newborns
May 24, 2021 - Mom and the goslings came up out of the lake to check out the feed on the ground that the birds had shared. Then they de...
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New Family
May 22, 2021 - Three new families of geese with their goslings seemed to appear out of nowhere this particular morning. It was surprisi...
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Downy Comforter
May 17, 2021 - After taking a headcount and making sure all 7 cygnets were back at the nest, Mom started to settle them in for the nigh...
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Hitching A Ride
May 15, 2021 - Just before dark, the family returned home. We still have seven cygnets, some are hidden by Mom's body.
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Time to Go
May 14, 2021 - The cygnets are growing pretty quickly. No big surprise as they leave before 7:00am and return around 9:15pm. They spend...
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Safe at Home Base
May 13, 2021 - I was about to call CPS (child protective services) as Mom and Dad took the babies out just before 7:00am and did not re...
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Family
May 13, 2021 - Day 2 and the cygnets are out on a lake tour being guarded very closely by their parents. I expect that over the next tw...
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New Life - Day 2
May 12, 2021 - After the clutch hatched on Monday, I was very excited to see 5 active cygnets in the nest. Yesterday I was even more ex...
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New Life
May 11, 2021 - Our swans returned on March 5th and I observed the mating ritual on March 27th. Normal incubation ranges from 32 to 45 d...
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What's Happening Here
April 22, 2021 - Every day during the past 2 weeks, this blue heron has been showing up along the shoreline. Previously it had shown up p...
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Immovable
April 21, 2021 - I was thinking about naming this swan after the historian, Herodotus. as nothing keeps her from her appointed task of pr...
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The Waiting Game
April 21, 2021 - Our swan couple have settled into the incubation period. She, the pen, spends most of her time sitting on the eggs. Our...
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The Beat Goes On
April 20, 2021 - The spot they picked has a lot of material around the site. This was one of the main reasons this site was selected as t...
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Do Not Come Near
April 17, 2021 - While I did not see who or what may have been approaching, the female swan - - the pen -- obviously went on alert to war...
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Finally - Results !!!
April 14, 2021 - "After fertilisation has taken place, the egg travels down the oviduct by muscular contractions, similar to the way that...
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Post Ritual Bathing
April 13, 2021 - This is the last shot I captured through the entire mating ritual. Must admit that I was not sure if this was just like...
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Bathing Ballet
April 13, 2021 - After mating and before returning to their daily routines the swans complete a bathing and preening routine together. Ev...
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The Final Step
April 12, 2021 - After the mating has been completed, the swans l go about their daily business of feeding and defending their territory,...
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An Act of Love
April 10, 2021 - Swans normally are very graceful and beautiful to watch. When you see the mating ritual, grace and beauty take on a whol...
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Creating New Life
April 09, 2021 - The next stage is when the male mounts the female. First he will paddle himself alongside her facing in the opposite dir...
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Strengthening the Bond
April 08, 2021 - My first post showed the early stage of the mating ritual of the swans. This is the next phase where the two swans start...
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The Courtship Begins
April 07, 2021 - Swans going through the mating ritual is a pretty elaborate process and a long ritual primarily because the displays the...
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Side-by-Side
April 07, 2021 - This is the very beginning stage of the elaborate mating ritual of these mute swans.
The swans will be close to each ot...
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Private Island
April 06, 2021 - I mentioned in yesterday's blog "Almost There", some of the key requirements for a swan's nest. Here are two other key p...
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Almost There
April 06, 2021 - Almost There
Month DD, YYYY • Leave a Comment
The finished nest should have the following features:
A depressio...
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Material from the Moat
April 05, 2021 - There are several key factors in creating the nest into which the eggs will be hatched and the cygnets born.
First, the...
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Working Together
April 03, 2021 - After selecting a spot, the real work of nest building has started by gathering twigs, leaves and other vegetation. When...
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Gathering Materials
April 02, 2021 - Both partners are in the gathering process, Eventually he will start passing materials to her so that the nest can be fo...
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New Beginnings
April 01, 2021 - For 5 years I have been watching the swans return, build their nest on the other side of the lake and give birth to as m...
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Female Redhead
February 21, 2021 - This is one stalwart redhead that came in for a quick landing on our snow covered lake with temperatures just above sing...
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Curiosity
January 12, 2021 - After several days of rain, the lake has reached the highest level I've seen since moving here. It reached within a few...
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The Chase Is On
September 09, 2020 - I have the good fortune to live on a small lake in Michigan, and have been able to watch a swan couple raise and protect...
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Catch My Drift
June 17, 2020 - This female mallard appeared to be having a good time all by herself just bouncing and drifting on the choppy water.
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First Outing
May 22, 2020 - I have been watching the swans nesting, and chasing away intruders from the area for quite some time. The other day, I l...
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Muddy
May 11, 2020 - The ibis can be recognized by its long legs and its extremely long, down curved bill. It uses its bill quite effectively...
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Awaiting Dinner
April 12, 2020 - Often referred to as “Clowns of the Sea” or “Sea Parrots’, Puffins are fantastic flyers, flapping their wings up to 400...
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Hard to Swallow
February 17, 2020 - Brown Pelicans are primarily fish-eaters and require up to four pounds of fish a day.
They normally feed by diving on t...
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Follow My Lead
February 09, 2020 - It appeared as though the adult brown pelican was trying to teach the juvenile how to fish in shallow water. My best gue...
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Great Blue Heron
January 26, 2020 - This great blue heron was poised and slowly stalking its prey in a salt water marsh jst before low tide. It is showing o...
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