Yesterday Was a Ducky Sort of Day!

It was a great day for pictures! Alas, the River is opening up and the birds are dispersing to their nesting areas. In the meantime, I had fun!

Here are a pair of Common Goldeneye

A Canada Goose making a big splash on arrival

Two male Greater Scaup

A Pair of Bufflehead

A Male Common Goldeneye

A male Hooded Merganser

Tundra Swans

The Tundra Swans are a lot bigger than the Canada Goose!

A pair of Mallards

Canada Goose Mating ritual

Three Canada Geese fighting for the right to mate

Unhappy Mother!

I was getting too close to the babies and momma Mallard took offense.

She did just about everything to get my attention.

Even the broken wing act did not deter me.

She was very innovative in her distractions.

Finally, she calmed down as I withdrew.

Almost the perfect shot as she left. Darned focus thingee anyway!

At the Waterhole Today

It was bordering on thunder storms and i almost didn't go out. Fishing was awash as it's no fun in a canoe in a thunderstorm.

I caught this guy on the shore of the pond. He was wary, but didn't spook

I was able to shift position to get a different angle.

A lot has happened since I was last here. The Bufflehead has hatched out a few.

The mallards are quite happy

Enough babies swimming around that a traffic cop should be hanging out.

The Blue winged teal is not happy with something or other. Could it be he is "hen Pecked"?

Even the beaver was out swimming around.

A Busy Day on the Athabasca River

The tributaries were full of ducks today. 

American Wigeon

Mallard drake

Canada Geese

Blue Winged Teal

Buffle Head

American Wigeon

American Wigeon

Blue Winged Teal

American Wigeon

Mallard Drake

A Really Hot Day!

It was one of those non-ambitious days where I needed a walk, but not too big a one. The local watering hole came up with this Blue Winged Teal.

There was also this Belted Kingfisher. Not the best photo, but I now know where he is hanging out.

This pair of Green Winged Teal were resting. Well, the male was looking for food!

The Ospreys are back and nesting on the same platform they used last year.The one was intent on enlarging the home.

There was some interesting flying.

They are a massive bird

Stick after stick kept coming in!

This was a different way to land!

The male kept his eye on me. I was very close to the nest.

There were a few Mallards around

Also a few geese practicing water skiing.

More Riverside Shots

More and more different birds  are coming back to the area. This Green-Winged Teal is my first of the year. Believe it or not, more birds back and the ice basically gone, means they are spreading out more and harder to find.

Green -Winged Teal

 The geese are paired up now and starting to nest

Canada Goose

 I saw this mallard coming down the river and he was kind enough to pose.

Mallard Drake

 Another Mallard enjoying the sun

Mallard Drake

 The lesser ducks are also paired up, but still heavily into feeding.

Buffle Head

 The next three shots are of Ring Necked Ducks.

Ring Necked Duck

Ring Necked Duck

Canada Goose

 Old Mr. Crow  was keeping slightly ahead of me on my walk.

American Crow

 I have come to the conclusion that I could use a longer lens, but alas, my Canon won't take one.