[OK_Scissortail]

I get lots of ducks on my pond and the other day I had a variety of ducks and a couple of Geese so I took a few photos to show. I have tons of Gadwalls so I don't take as many pics of them. There are six adult Hooded Mergansers, two pair and two younger mergansers. Two Canadian Geese checking the pond out for mating, not sure if they will stay or not. A Green Winged Teal and some Buffleheads which are my favorite. I have added some photos from different days too to show all the ducks that come by to visit. It has been a great Winter for ducks. :) One day I counted 60 ducks on our large pond at one time.

I'll post more photos on the thread below.

[OK_Scissortail]

Green Winged Teal and Gadwall. You can see the size difference between the two with the teal being much smaller.

Mallard ducks and Gadwalls in 3rd photo. 4th Photo Common Goldeneye. Correction..Bufflehead.
5th photo close up Gadwall. Correction..Shovelor.

[OK_Scissortail]

A regular here at the pond and creek. Blue Heron.

[fugl]

Originally Posted by OK_Scissortail

Green Winged Teal and Gadwall. You can see the size difference between the two with the teal being much smaller.

Mallard ducks and Gadwalls in 3rd photo. 4th Photo Common Goldeneye.
5th photo close up Gadwall.

Nice photos, particularly the side-by-side shot of the Gadwall & the Green-winged Teal which really brings out the size difference between the 2 species. The labeling of 2 of the other photos is wrong, by the way: #4 is a Bufflehead (not a Common Goldeneye) & #5 is a Northern Shoveler (not a Gadwall).

[Enji]

Very nice photos! Your Hooded Mergansers are really cool-looking birds. If I ever go to the US I'd love to see some of them... :)

[OK_Scissortail]

Thanks Fugl..I was looking for the Bufflehead photo I thought I had...never marked it I guess but glad you noticed. I had problems identifying this one..did it again..lol. On 5 I did notice the longer beak but it never dawned on me a Shovelor since I saw no males that day and had so many gadwalls. I just assumed and went on...some days I feel like such a nut..lol.

Thanks for correcting on Id's. I'm glad I had the opportunity to show the size difference with the Teal. :)

Enji, not a hard find here with the Mergansers if you make it over sometime. :)

[OK_Scissortail]

The elusive wood duck has been spotted once again. My son saw them last Winter on part of our creek hidden way in the back of the property. I never did get to see them. Yesterday my husband said he saw two of the wood ducks, a male and female, further down on our creek. Of course today it is bad weather..rain, snow, and cloudy so not the best day for photos. They are located in an area that the creek cuts deep under the ground level, twists and turns with a small water hole. I haven't noticed them on our pond or on the creek that is ground level. Not sure if this helps anyone to find them but thought I would add it just in case. The other area they liked was back in our woods in another water hole that si below ground level. No wonder they are so elusive, like to be well hidden. I hope to get out this weekend or next week to try and get a photo.

[OK_Scissortail]

Here is another visitor to our creek. This one arrives toward the latter end of March and first part of April for our area. These photos are from last year, I had about 3 pair. Still waiting for them to arrive for this year.

The nice thing about the Blue Winged is they are not as skiddish as some of the other ducks. If I get too close they just slowly swim off to another area, instead of flying away.