See something different about Bird Lady Blog? A new and improved format! I got a fancy new all-in-one computer with a 23" screen, and the old blog looked so puny and small. I didn't like it at all, so I updated to a new format. The photos are a lot bigger and look much better on a dark background. Along with my new computer, I bought Photoshop Elements 11, an upgrade from my Elements 7. These were the first set of pictures I downloaded, and I must say I'm loving the new version! Hope you enjoy!
The other day I was in town and had some time to myself after meeting a friend for lunch. I decided to visit Riverfront Park in downtown Spokane to see what ducks and geese I might find along the river that runs through the park by the infamous Looff Carousel. I paid $2 to park across the street from the park for an hour. As soon as I entered the park, I could see quite the group of ducks and geese. I was able to get within a few feet of them and started snapping photos. They didn't seem to mind at all.
There was a lone Common Goldeneye in the group. A handsome fellow indeed...
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| Common Goldeneye |
About a dozen Mallards...
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| Mallards |
Half a dozen American Wigeon...
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| American Wigeon |
Three pairs of Canadian Geese. Notice the water droplets?
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| Canadian Goose |
This bad boy was smoking a cigarette!
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| A cigarette smoking Wigeon |
There was one strange looking brown-headed duck that I had to research when I got home. After looking through my pics and looking online, I decided that it is a Mallard of some sort. Anyone seen one like this before?
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| An interesting Brown-headed Mallard |
It can be quite challenging to identify wild and domesticated ducks and geese because they can interbreed, hybridize, and mutate. So even after researching online, consulting my bird books and coming to a semi-conclusion of what the following geese are, I am not confident on my I.D. The more I research, the more I question my guess and I have changed my mind several times.
I believe the goose in the back is a Greater White-fronted Goose. I also thought the front goose was a Greater White-fronted Goose. Then I read something that led me to believe the front goose was perhaps a hybrid Greylag Goose. I found that the White-fronted Geese and Greylag Geese look a lot alike, so I'm not really sure what these three are. If anyone has any input on this, please comment. The middle one, looks like the front one, but honestly, I can't find any pics that look just like this one, but I'd have to venture that it is the same as the front goose. All I know is that I'm really confused on goose identities! Notice the wattle on the front goose?
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| Greater White-fronted Geese or Greylag Geese or hybrids? |
The goose in the middle is a Chinese Goose, closely related to a Swan Goose and African Goose.
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| Swan Goose or Chinese Goose with Canadian Geese |
This boy was so handsome. No questions about his identity!
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| Mallard Male |
Look what a cute duck butt this guy has...
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| American Wigeon preening |
Just when it seemed Spring was not far off, we got a fresh covering of snow to remind us that we are still in the middle of Winter. Back to hibernation for this chickadee!
~ Sherrie (Bird Lady)
I love the Swangoose photo with the other Canadian Geese. Pretty photo! (Wait until you hear what hubby is buying me today!!!!) ;)
ReplyDeleteI spent so much time trying to figure out what kind of geese I had photographed!
DeleteAre you getting a new camera???
Sherrie, great shots of the ducks and geese. My favorites are the Wigeons and the Goldeneye! You did great id-ing them all, some would be newbies for me. Have a great evening and week ahead.
ReplyDeleteThank you Eileen. The Wigeons are fairly new for me this winter. And the geese at the park were all new to me, except for the Canadian Geese of course. Always nice to add some lifers to the list!
DeleteThe smoking Wigeon made me laugh. I recently photographed one of those mallards that reminded me of a mix of chocolate and vanilla. I like the soft colors.
ReplyDeleteThat darn Wigeon just left his butt on the ground in the Park too! The brown Mallard is pretty cool. I like the sound of Chocolate Vanilla Mallard!
DeleteI love your Goldeneye photo!! The Brown-headed Mallard is very pretty. Love it's whiter plumage.
ReplyDeleteThanks Melissa. It was great being so close to the ducks and geese at the park. I loved the brown-headed Mallard too. Never seen one like that before.
DeleteSome beautiful photos Sherrie.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Terry!
DeleteVery nice Sherrie; I'm enjoying getting caught up with your blog.
ReplyDeleteWatefowl, especially Geese and those manky Mallards, can be a real and infinite challenge, with their varying plumages and propensity to breed with anything and everything they can.
You're right on the brown duck. It's a Mallard, likely a hybridization of a domesticated duck, perhaps a Pekin, with Mallard. Lots of these farm or pet birds escape or are let loose, and then they join up with other Mallards.
In the next photo you're right on with the Greater-white Fronted Goose in the background (nice bird!). The two Geese up front look like normal (in the foremost bird) and/or hybridized Greylag x Chinese Goose--another domesticated bunch of birds that turn up in city ponds and reservoirs and the like. Similarly I think Swan/Chinese is about all one can say regarding that other Goose that's floating with the Canadas.
Fun stuff, great post!
Thank you so much for your insight Laurence! I spent quite some time researching those geese! It's great to get some feedback that back up my identification skills. Thanks for stopping by and catching up with Bird Lady Blog!
Delete~ Sherrie (Bird Lady)
I love the way folded Mallard wings have that soft, soft edge of color!
ReplyDeleteForgot to ask, Sherrie...can you or any of your readers recommend a website where I might find audio clips organized by something like "birds you are likely to be hearing in your area at this time"? I'd love to learn to identify birds by sound, but whenever I go to the (wonderful!) Cornell Lab site and try seeking out one bird at a time, I end up distracted and listening to all kinds of birds that I am definitely NOT going to be hearing in my area! Thanks very much for any advice :)
ReplyDeleteEven the plainer ducks have some beautiful markings and colorings.
DeleteAs far as birding by sound, I have not researched much online about it unless I am looking up a particular bird. I do recognize a few by sound, and love to flirt with my neighborhood birds using the iBird app and playing the call or song for the species I am trying to flirt with. I'll keep my ears and eyes open for you.
Thanks for stopping by Bird Lady Blog Quinn.
~ Sherrie (Bird Lady)
Thank you! Maybe you'll find something, and if I do, I'll let you know in case any of your other readers would find it helpful.
Delete