As I have mentioned, I know nothing about waterfowl, a rather ironic state since I grew up on a lake. So a bit of advice--if you want to immerse yourself in them, go to Florida in mid-winter. Holy Cow! I was taking pictures of birds I couldn't identify, until I got home and put them on the computer. Below is my first American wigeon, with a Northern pintail behind.
I will refrain from posting any more ducks for the time being as I have better shots coming later on. Let me just say that I was overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of them.
To see the most stuff along the Black Point Wildlife Drive, or any other wildlife excursion, it is best to get out as early as possible, and drive very slow, and stop often to just sit and watch. This Killdeer was hardly a speck moving along the mudflat in the morning sun. Go too fast and this bird gets missed.
Here a Snowy egret shows off its ridiculous yellow feet. Makes me think of the University of Oregon's player's shoes they wore in the BCS Championship game last week.
As I paused on the side of the road I noticed an occasional splash in the water along the drive. I thought at first it was a fish jumping, but as I moved farther down the road I realized I was wrong.
It was this fellow, a Forsters tern, fishing the canal along the road.
I had a blast, standing next to the car, trying to get shots of him as he zipped by.
Back and forth he went, and without warning he would suddenly plunge into the water, so quickly that I was not able to get a shot of it. I never did see him come up with a fish.
What a beautiful, graceful bird.
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