Sunday, February 9, 2014

Wild Duck Hunt

  I am linking up with Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday 

Early Saturday morning hubby and I headed to Loch Raven Reservoir on our wild goose duck hunt. There were many reports of the Eurasian Wigeon being seen near the second dam at the reservoir. It has become my birding luck that the day I go the bird has left.  Last weekend, I did  a drive by hoping that a Pink-footed Goose was still in the area. No luck there either, how is your birding luck? I hope it is better than my luck. At least we did not see the snow they forecasted, one time I was glad they were wrong .



This is the lower dam at the reservoir..one of three reservoirs that supplies drinking water for Baltimore City.




Not the best shot but above is an American Wigeon, second from the left.  The American Wigeon has a green eye patch and a cream crown. The Eurasian Wigeon has the red head with the gray back dark eyes. It was hard looking at all the Redheads for one Eurasian Wigeon, they look alike.




Above is the larger dam with more Redheads, Mergansers and the American Wigeon.


Here is a larger image showing the assortment of ducks we saw at the reservoir.




The Redhead ducks seem to be the largest group seen in these photos.


This shot is one of the clearest I could get of the distant Redhead ducks.  Since, I work during the week I do not have the option to run and see a bird on the day it is first sighted. And I do not want to get started on this horrible weather. I can not complain on the amount of ducks we have been seeing like the Redheads, Ring-necked, Common Mergansers and Hooded Mergansers are plentiful. The sky was mostly cloudy which does not help my photos, but it was still cool seeing all the ducks.


Thanks for visiting my blog. I always appreciate your comments.
Join in on the fun and for more wonderful photos please visit  Mosaic Monday and more
 from  Our World Tuesday

 Thanks to our host: Mary our host of Mosaic Monday and to the hosting group of Our World Tuesday: Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia, Sandy and Jennifer.  I wish everyone a happy week ahead!

53 comments:

  1. you're killing me with the redheads!!! my favorite wooden decoy i have is a redhead and i've never seen one in real life.

    ReplyDelete
  2. So many ducks! I enjoy seeing your photos/collages. We haven't been anywhere in months for any photo ops. Maybe we'll get over to Bowdoin NWR soon. I hope so.

    ReplyDelete
  3. An interesting post that I enjoyed reading. Like the ducks.

    Thank you. Love love, Andrew. Bye.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Fantastic colors ~ lovely photography of nature's gems ~ Happy Week to you ~ carol and artmusedog

    We are back to Blogger ~ hopefully off G+ ~ spread the word ~so I will get my commenters back ~ ^_^

    ps. will see what happens ~

    ReplyDelete
  5. So enjoy your posts. You bring new and variety to me. Do tell, why are there so many ducks and varieties of them congregated in this one area?

    ReplyDelete
  6. lovely ducks, better luck next time with the Eurasian wigeon, they're beautiful, we get lots of them here in the winter

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hello Eileen!!!Wow!!So many beautiful ducks!!Lovely images!Great shots and captures!What a lovely place!!I really enjoyed your post!Have a happy week!!Hugs!
    Dimi...

    ReplyDelete
  8. So great to see so many at the same time :)) Here we dont have so many birds accept for the small ones at the feeder :)

    Yes I love snow and winter, but this year we dont have so much snow as usual and not so cold either....but it is still hope :))

    ReplyDelete

  9. Nice shots, especially considering the distance.

    Gray skies can help...eliminates all those pesky shadows, sometimes :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. I hope you do get to see that elusive duck. I would hate for you to have to go on too many more wild goose chasing in attempting to catch the duck.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Eileen,

    I love your photos of all the adorable ducks! Wow! What a shot of the American Wigeon; that green eye patch is quite dramatic, even for a duck! The Redheads are also quite lovely, as are they all!

    Have a lovely week and a very happy Valentine's Day!

    Poppy

    ReplyDelete
  12. It is nice to see the ducks in the open water. Not so much up here as everything is well frozen. Valerie

    ReplyDelete
  13. I never seen these pink ducks with red heads.
    Merle..........

    ReplyDelete
  14. I'd be thinking he was there somewhere, hiding amongst all the other ducks. Maybe he was just camera shy when you visited.

    ReplyDelete
  15. So many ducks and such a variety! I admire your knowledge about them and your enthusiasm for birding. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  16. There are many variety of ducks. They look so beautiful in a group.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Great flocks of ducks - its looks a bit like a winter scene on some of the lakes I helped look after when I was a warden.

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

    ReplyDelete
  18. Beautiful surroundings there.
    So many ducks there, beautiful collages Eileen.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Wonderful photos of all these ducks. Amazing !
    Have a nice new week, Eileen. Best regards, Synnöve

    ReplyDelete
  20. I like these colorful red heads, Eileen! I also love all your photos on facebook --you really do live in a beautiful place!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Amazing! So many ducks!They have very beautiful colors!
    Have a nice week!

    ReplyDelete
  22. What a fascinating collection,your posts are always so interesting and informative. Although I have quite a good knowledge of wildlife,I'm usually more interested in their surroundings. It's really great to see birds from around the world.

    Happy Monday!
    Ruby

    ReplyDelete
  23. Lot of pretty ducks!! beautiful photos..

    ReplyDelete
  24. Wow..the duck photos are just fantastic to see!

    I have no bird visiting these past couple of weeks :(

    ReplyDelete
  25. I always enjoy viewing your bird photos.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Hi Eileen, What an outstanding grouping of photographs of the flocks of ducks. I sure love the Redheads and those Widgeons are spectacular. I have never seen one of the Eurasian Widgeons. Have a pleasant day and another good one tomorrow!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Congrats Eileen! That is not easy to find with the group you had there in the water. My luck has been pretty good so far this year, But the life bird part is getting tricky! When the lifer is out in the middle of water, it really challenges!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Hello Eileen
    I can't believe the vast species of bird life in America.
    You are spoilt for choice it seems but not always where you want them!
    Wonderful ducks today - the red headed wigeon is very striking.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Wow, so many ducks! It's neat to see them all together like that.

    ReplyDelete
  30. All I kept thinking is "I Love Lucy"!! Wonderful captures, I always enjoy your images!!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Those Redheads are striking looking ducks! Good on you for getting out and about in the cold and sharing such evocative images. And good luck with your next hunt for something unusual. Have a great week :)

    ReplyDelete
  32. ducks on the pond! Glad you got some shots Eileen - but isn't it annoying when work gets in the way of photography or birding!
    Have a great week.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Your luck sounds about like mine. I went yesterday to look for nesting egrets and herons which were nowhere to be found. BUT, I did see the common yellowthroat which is a new lifer for me. Love the shots of your redheads and other waterfowl.

    ReplyDelete
  34. That looks like a great place for watching the water birds. I love the shots you captured.

    ReplyDelete
  35. I don't think I've seen those read heads in our local ponds.

    ReplyDelete
  36. What beautiful photos! Those ducks are cute.

    ReplyDelete
  37. That looks like a great day. Although out here, when people talk about bird hunting they're talking about something else than photographing the birds!

    ReplyDelete
  38. I've never seen a redhead nice series . Thanks for sharing have a great week! Stay warm

    ReplyDelete
  39. Wonderful captures as always, Eileen!! Your blogs always take us on such wonderful tours!! Thank you!! Hope you have a great week!!

    ReplyDelete
  40. So many ducks! and what a great place to look at them! Sorry you didn't see the one you wanted.

    ReplyDelete
  41. What pretty red heads! Lovely shots.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Dearest Eileen;
    Oh, wonderful place to see these ducks (not goose) :-)
    Loved all your beautiful pics and enlarged them, my friend.

    Lots of Love and Hugs from Japan, xoxo Miyako*

    ReplyDelete
  43. Beautiful birds, so many of them in one place.

    ReplyDelete
  44. I'd love to see that many ducks...the redheads are wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  45. A beautiful duck Eileen blog with lots of mergansers and the crown ducks, I see you swim :-) Where I live are also a lot of wigeon.
    Very nice evening.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Awesome ! i really found very informative article here and bookmarked this blog. Thank you

    ReplyDelete

Hello, thank you for visiting my blog. I always appreciate your comments.

BTW, Anonymous comments unless a name is included will not be published. Also, comments with links will be deleted.

Have a happy day, Eileen

Happy Monday!

Wishing everyone a great day and a ha ppy new week! "Sometimes miracles are just good people with kind hearts." Rick's Cafe, N...