"On the Waterfront" - Part 3

The previous thread is pretty full so I thought I would start 2010 with a new "On the Waterfront" thread. If you would like to visit the previous one, here is the link: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/983368/

Wherever there is water, one will find all kinds of bird life. However, this is a time of year that I enjoy with the influx of Tundra Swans, Snow Geese, Canada Geese and a myriad of other waterfowl. It's been tough going so far because most of the ponds, rivers, etc. are frozen over. The resident Bald Eagles are beginning to nest while the visiting eagles are heading back to their breeding grounds. So, the scenery has changed somewhat. And, in another 45-60 days, the Osprey will be returning from South America.

ALERT ALERT !!! --- Tonight is the first night that the female Bald Eagle, on the Blackwater NWR webcam, has sat on her nest so it's a good chance that she has laid an egg. Here is a link to that site: http://www.friendsofblackwater.org/camhtm2.html

I'll start the new thread with a few waterfront photos taken over the weekend. Here are a few photos of the Tundra Swans.

There are hundreds of Tundra Swan in the Blackwater National wildlife Refuge at this time. I didn't spend a lot of time photographing them because I was stopped on a two lane road with my blinkers on. Most locals tolerate the photographers to a point. These swans were not on the refuge.

A few more in flight. I didn't hang around for them to all take off. That is really a sight.

A few more Tundra Swans. I saw no Snow Geese this weekend ........

One more .......

The always present Great Blue Heron. They are usually present right along the wildlife drive.

A different view ......

Quite often, Bald Eagles are perched on this dead tree along the wildlife drive. Unfortunately one seldom gets as close to them as you can at Conowingo Dam. Both of them eventually left the tree and landed in the weeds near some Canada Geese.

Here is a photos of one of them sitting in the weeds close to the Canada Geese. He/she was jumping up and down, wings spread, as though he had caught something.

Here he is again, wings spread, and still certain that he has caught something.

And then to my surprise, he flies away with a pile of weeds in his talons. Apparently both of them were taking grass (not to smoke) back to their nest. When he was jumping up and down he was actually trying to pull the grass out of the ground.

Edit: just noticed duplicate photo. Sorry. It was supposed to be a photo showing the grass in his talons.

This message was edited Jan 20, 2010 10:21 PM

This is a photo of a few Canada Geese taken on Saturday. The photos turned out lousy but I tried to salvage this one by turning into a sepia photograph. Normally, I wouldn't have saved it.

Another barely salvaged photo of the Canada Geese.

A male Ring-necked Duck. A beautiful duck.

Here is the photo, to replace the duplicate, showing the eagle carrying the grass back to his nest .........

One of my favorite ducks is the Canvasback. I'm sure you will be tired of looking at them before I'm done. This is group of images I took on Monday.

Canvasbacks have made a dramatic comeback following the closing of hunting seasons for a while and the banning of lead shot that was being ingested by the Canvasback while feeding. The most recent U.S. population estimate is about 662,000.

This is the male Canvasback ........

A close-up view ......

Never get tired of the canvas back, or any of them, really!
On the blackwater site, I saw a pic of the mom checking the egg! She did lay one so far!

Nice shots!! All of them, the salvaged ones look really nice too. The close-up of the Canvasback is sweet!

Great pics Linth! Love all of them!

Nice! I can't believe that the eagle is back on the nest at blackwater. Just seems too darn cold!

Thanks, all. The laying of eggs at this Bald Eagle nest (Blackwater) has been quite predictable from a date perspective. I'm sure that we will see another egg, or two, in the next few days.

While I was photographing the ducks Monday morning they all took off right in front of me. I thought, what did I do. I've learned to look around in the sky because it's usually a predator around that causes them to seek safety. And, as I expected, off to my left was a Bald Eagle circling around. He finally sat down in a tree right on a waterfront property next to the Choptank River in Cambridge, MD.

He was quite far away. This shot is an 100% crop at 500mm. I took this photo and then left. I came back several hours later and the ducks had returned.

I really wanted to get some Canvasback flight shots. So that's why I came back several hours later. I did get a few shots that I liked. There was still a lot of ice around but pockets of water were available. It was a warm day (50 degrees) so the ice was melting.

Coming in all directions !

This is a photo of the female Canvasback ......

The female heading toward me .......

Splash Down !!!!

A male Canvasback coming in for a landing .....

Canvasbacks are diving ducks. Here's one just coming up with water dripping from his head.

Nice day for ice skating !!!

oooo, Linth, that last one is so endearing!

Thanks, Mrs. Ed .....

I only saw three duck species in this group comprised mostly of Canvasbacks. There was quite a few American Wigeons and one lonely male Redhead. The Redheads are really hard to pick out among all of the male Canvasbacks. You really need to scan them closely.

Here is the male Redhead ......

Another female Canvasback ......

It's always easy to get flights shots as they fly away from you which are usually worthless. But, I lucked out in that the sun was positioned correctly and some of them were coming toward me.

Glad to see you're back with more photos and thanks for the cam link.

Linth, your photos are all beautiful. The swans and eagles are so pretty and I love the action photos of the Canvasbacks. Nice job on them all, but that last one coming toward you is super sharp! Wow!

Nice work with the Duck's, I really like your (splash down) shot, all very nice captures!

I've got to find some canvas backs!!!

Great work Linth!

Nice photos as always Charlie!
I have just been reading up on Blackwater recently due to another photographer I watch.
I just found out that Blackwater has an Eagle Festival in March.
Have you ever been to that? I hope that we will be able to go... sounds really cool!

Linth, I'm so glad you're continuing your waterfront series. Wonderful, wonderful photos. I love them all, but am amazed at the shots of the Bald Eagles pulling out the grass. What a sight that must have been. Thanks also for the link to Blackwater. I followed the Ospreys and Bald Eagles all of last season and can't believe it's that time again.