10,000 Birds

APRIL 1, 2022

One of the old jokes I always hear at Christmas Bird Count dinners pops up we get to the ducks, which is now pretty early in the compilation thanks to the current taxonomic order. “Summer or Wood Duck” from The Birds of America by John James Audubon (1785-1851).

2018 252

2018 Ducks France California 252

10,000 Birds

MAY 11, 2024

In the book, one picture stood out in particular: the White-headed Duck. There were only a few dozen of these ducks left and the photographer – using old-fashioned analog film – took just one, very fuzzy shot. Even so, the idea of one day going out to find this rare duck appealed to me. Time to look for that UFO myself.

Spain 244

Spain Ducks Morocco Europe 244

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 18, 2021

Ducks and divers The bottom of the city is, naturally, the lowest point or course of the Danube (around 74 m / 240 ft above sea level), the best area being the confluence of the Sava and the Danube, around the War Islands Reserve. Otherwise, the foothills (bus stop “Avala”) are reachable by city buses 401, 403, 405, 407 and 408.

Serbia 306

Serbia Woodpeckers Ducks Birds 306

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 30, 2014

Actually, when I started to bird, my second ever duck, after the Mallard , was a Ruddy Shelduck! I was in a kayak, the duck was some 4-5 metres from me, easily tolerating my interest for some 5 minutes or more, implying that it was almost certainly an escapee. Birds ducks Europe Serbia' Well, too odd to be countable.

Serbia 251

Serbia Ducks Poland Kazakhstan 251

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 7, 2021

There were several ducks around the water body and they included Pacific Black Ducks , Plumed Whistling-Ducks and Wandering Whistling-Ducks. Ducks, Ibis and Egrets. There were also Australasian Darters and Little Pied Cormorants. There was also a Black-necked Stork.

Cattle 294

Cattle Ducks Zebras Australia 294

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 25, 2015

I’m posting this video I shot at Delevan NWR in case you haven’t seen these elegant ducks in action. Birds dabbling ducks Delevan National Wildlife Refuge ducks Gaadwall National Wildlife Refuges' Dapper indeed! Our National Wildlife Refuges are special places where we can observe wildlife in their natural habitats.

2006 240

2006 Ducks Wildlife New York 240

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 15, 2024

But for birders, the name bluenose might more easily be applied to ducks of the genus Oxyura. I imagine that this is due to the cold winters up there, rather than suggesting that all Nova Scotians are prudes. The six species in this genus are all… Source

Ducks 242

Ducks Species Mexico Birds 242

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 4, 2020

Would it still be deep enough for the ducks that prefer that half? Would there be enough deep water to see Ruddy Ducks and Clark’s Grebes ? The western half still has enough water for some shorebirds, but the thousands of ducks I would usually see now number in the dozens.

2020 286

2020 Ducks Sparrows 2019 286

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 16, 2020

Lake Cuitzeo is Mexico’s second largest lake, and its uniformly shallow waters make it a powerful magnet for dabbling ducks and shorebirds. Back in 2017 I was shocked to find only 15 ducks over the course of the morning, when I had hoped to find hundreds, or even thousands. This was once my lake. But in Mexico you certainly can.

Rights 264

Rights 2017 2020 Blackbirds 264

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 3, 2020

A strange duck, let’s see… an eclipse male Red-crested Pochard ! This was the last of the local ducks that I managed to find (it took me years of birding), and ever since I have seen it only once in every 2-3 years. Nearby are four very dark brown ducks… Tufted Duck females!

Serbia 295

Serbia Birds Cyprus Ducks 295

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 29, 2020

My former nemesis was the Masked Duck. As much as I looked for it in the right places, the pirate duck stayed elusive. These were some of those final steps to my lifer Masked Duck: A Distant Site. The most reliable spot for Masked Duck in Costa Rica is the site known as “ Las Pangas ” in the Coto wetlands.

Costa Rica 264

Costa Rica Ducks Birds Rescue 264

10,000 Birds

APRIL 5, 2023

While the P-a-P Wildfowl Trust’s main thrust is the breeding and release of five duck species, the habitat encourages a number of native wetland birds to inhabit and proliferate the area. Commonly domesticated, wild versions of the Muscovy Duck historically inhabited wetlands across Trinidad.

Trinidad 264

Trinidad Birds Ducks Fish 264

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 1, 2024

There were six species of wild ducks, along with the usual few released domestic ducks. The ducks stayed far enough away to keep me from taking any great photos. Unfortunately, the reservoir is now starting to look rather dry as well: Still, the birds were still there. ” And so do I.)

Ducks 245

Ducks Fish Breeding Species 245

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 6, 2021

That green grass is not a meadow; it is growing in water deep enough for swimming ducks. The dot in the center of the second photo is a lone Mexican Duck flying just over the water. It is too early for some ducks ( Wigeons , Gadwalls , and Green-winged Teals , plus Redheads and Canvasbacks with some luck) to arrive.

Ducks 237

Ducks Battery Species Breeding 237

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 22, 2024

I had not expected to determine the whereabouts of a a remaining duck species, the adorable Ruddy Duck. I normally see Ruddy Ducks on the lake’s deepest waters, and as I said, there are no deep waters in the Lake Cuitzeo right now. It’s so good to see all my old friends are still around.

Ducks 240

Ducks Pelicans Collecting Species 240

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 21, 2022

The usual ducks were also present – Black-bellied Whistling Duck and White-cheeked Pintail. Both of these are dabbling ducks while the scaups are divers. Checking some of the other ponds revealed more ducks, namely a group of ten Blue-winged Teal and a staggering number of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks.

Falcons 262

Falcons Trinidad Ducks Livestock 262

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 29, 2024

The following week, I finally got some great photos of a male Ruddy Duck with its fantastic reproductive blue bill. First there was the Lesser Ground-Cuckoo, a species I had long wanted to see. The perfect views it gave us made the wait well worthwhile. I wrote about this encounter a month ago.

Ducks 238

Ducks Species Birds 238

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 12, 2024

In Japan—where appreciation for all things kawaii is especially keen—roadblocks come in the form of dolphins, ducks or frogs. It specifically mentions Japan: “Cute things are everywhere, not just online.

Japan 234

Japan Dolphins Ducks Birds 234

10,000 Birds

MARCH 9, 2024

They were scattered among large numbers of Tufted Ducks and particularly Common Pochard , creating a active group of diving ducks that was fun to watch. Greater Scaup with Common Pochard Greater Scaup with Tufted Duck & Common Pochard The first time I saw this species was at the London Wetland Centre.

Birds 237

Birds Ducks Groups Species 237

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 27, 2021

But I was more surprised by a Cinnamon Teal — my first duck for the reservoir — accompanied by 5 Pied-billed and 6 Least Grebes , since Least Grebes , especially, tend to be solitary birds here. Northern Pintails may be our most handsome wintering duck. (It yielded 88 on January 1st, 2020.)

2020 264

2020 Ducks Birds Abandon 264

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 2, 2020

So does this Mexican Duck (NOT a Mallard sub-race, according to the 2020 AOS decision): Note the (lack of) depth of this water. But the Fulvous Whistling-Ducks were the ones that really won my hearts. Extra points to these Whistling-Ducks for finding water deep enough to swim in. Maybe they just like a little variety.

South America 256

South America Ducks 2020 Mexico 256

10,000 Birds

MARCH 30, 2024

There was a large raft of hundreds of American Coot , an American White Pelican and lots of duck species. I will not name all ducks, but Bufflehead and Canvasback were lifers so they deserve a call-out. Sandpipers up in the air and a general panic among the coots and ducks. The birds warmed us too.

Ducks 179

Ducks Emotional Cattle Owls 179

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 12, 2019

Nisqually NWR is a major staging area for migratory birds , a wintering area for many ducks and geese, and a breeding area for numerous songbirds. There’s a $3 day-use fee, but it is free if you have a Duck Stamp. According to eBird , 278 bird species have been observed and approximately 14,000 checklists have been submitted.

Washington 261

Washington Portland Birds Geese 261

10,000 Birds

MARCH 23, 2022

As it turned out, the remaining water was too shallow for ducks, except a few Northern Shovelers. Admittedly, early May is too late to find most duck species in Michoacán, even in a good year.) In fact, I can see many more of these ducks, much closer to home. It was only a bit better for shorebirds and egrets.

Ducks 249

Ducks Mexico Fish Breeding 249

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 16, 2014

Highlight species: Ferruginous Duck , Goosander , Red-breasted Merganser , Red-crested Pochard , Greater Scaup , Velvet Scoter , Black-throated Diver. In late February and March, the only duck species that does not overwinter here is heading back – the Garganey. Ducks mostly migrate in November, reaching their peak by mid-December.

Serbia 252

Serbia Ducks Birds Eagles 252

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 13, 2024

Greater Scaup The female was rather shy, but I was happy to compare it to the many Tufted Ducks that were around as well. A suprising find that made this visit even more worth it was a Greater Scaup , which I had only seen once before in the UK. A Water Rail was hidden, calling from the reeds. A Water Rail was hidden, calling from the reeds.

Netherlands 244

Netherlands Birds Ducks Hunting 244

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 16, 2020

Just two weeks earlier, the only ducks I had seen were a handful of resident Mexican Ducks and Fulvous Whistling-Ducks. They had such a good time that on Monday Jonathan took me back to see what he had found. One important discovery was that the migratory season is now in full swing.

Ducks 285

Ducks 2020 Eggs California 285

10,000 Birds

APRIL 13, 2024

Late summer 2023 the lakes and ponds had been empty, presumably because the ducks and geese were moulting. Empty no more, the ponds were now brimming with ducks of all creeds and persuasions – it was spectacular. If there were such a thing as a Periodic Table of Ducks we went from hydrogen to uranium: every duck imaginable was there.

Denver 186

Denver Colorado Ducks Mules 186

10,000 Birds

APRIL 6, 2024

The waterbirds were fun to watch, as they often are at this park, and all the standard species were there particularly Mallard , Common Pochard and Tufted Duck (you might have noticed I mention Tufted Ducks a lot in my posts – I’m not sure why but I really like this species!) and Goosander.

Germany 201

Germany Ducks Birds Woodpeckers 201

10,000 Birds

JULY 28, 2016

We’ve worked to change the dialogue around the Duck Stamp in public discussions and meetings, and we’ve reached out to Refuge officials and conservation officers to argue for the viability of this concept. Since we first launched the Wildlife Conservation Stamp Project, we’ve made our case to thousands of birders and photographers.

Wildlife 189

Wildlife San Francisco Legislation Ducks 189

10,000 Birds

APRIL 6, 2016

As reported by the fine folks at The Dodo , after Hurricane Katrina forced Katrina “Kasia” Perkowska to evacuate, she started bringing her pet Wood Duck , Scooter, to her mother-in-law’s nursing home in Mississippi. One enterprising New Orleans-area bird rescuer is doing just that. But that’s a whole ’nother rant.)

Pets 186

Pets Rescue Mississippi Chickens 186

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

A curious Laysan Duck takes a stroll at Midway Atoll. Laysan Ducks don’t seem to be as tied to water as other ducks, which makes sense considering the limited habitat available. Although Laysan Duck is a Hawaiian bird, most birders have never heard of it. That would have been awful. home at Midway Atoll.

Albatross 233

Albatross Endangered Species Bald Eagle Alaska 233

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 5, 2020

Scores of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks circled overhead, these vocal ducks are often hunted illegally here so it was refreshing to see so many. Black-bellied Whistling Ducks in the aftermath of the “storm” Hoping for different fortunes at a different time of day, we stayed until darkness enveloped us but still, nothing.

Livestock 249

Livestock ALA Ducks illegal 249

10,000 Birds

JULY 11, 2021

But everything else paled in comparison to his first Black-bellied Whistling-Duck in Queens since 2010. Corey had a pretty amazing weekend, birding-wise, with a host of highlights including Sora , Hudsonian Godwit , Wilson’s Storm-Petrel , and more. How about you? What was your best bird of the weekend?

United States 264

United States Turtles 2010 Birds 264

10,000 Birds

MARCH 23, 2024

The various waterbodies held Northern Shoveler , Tufted Duck , Common Pochard , Gadwall , European Teal , Great Crested Grebe , Little Grebe , and various other waterbirds. Tufted Duck Grey Heron We decided to visit the Saalbachniederung as well, a nearby expanse of open meadow and wetland and a short train ride away.

Squirrels 233

Squirrels South Africa Germany Ducks 233

10,000 Birds

JULY 29, 2020

The normally-shallower west side attracts all sorts of ducks and shorebirds; the east side usually offers only American Coots and Clark’s Grebes.) This lake is “standing-room-only” Nearer the shore, there were also a few Black-necked Stilts , Fulvous Whistling-Ducks , and Common Gallinules.

Mexico 226

Mexico Ducks 2017 2019 226

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2020

A Little Grebe that does not have all her ducks in a row (ok, a grebe is not a duck, I know, but still, I happily sacrifice ornithological accuracy for a bad pun). At Nanhui, all bird parents are working parents – with all the stress that this brings.

China 203

China Ducks Birds 203