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Wethead
As a dabbling duck, pintails feed with their heads under the water. This drake has just surfaced so his head is still slicked back with a sheen of water. Pintails are such elegant and stately ducks that I wish more of them would overwinter here — it’s not often that I get a close look like I did on this day.
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What’s In A Name
Many birds are named based on their physical appearance, and pintails are no exception. This dabbling pintail drake shows off the feature that gives it its name: the long, thin pointed tail feathers.
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Dawn
One of the beautiful things about watching a duck swim is that all of the action takes place below the waterline, so above everything seems gentle and serene. The motions of this swimming male were as quiet as the surface of the pond, the light soft and diffuse as the marsh awaits the first rays of the sun.
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The Northwest Welcomes Me Home
I did a lot of traveling in the last few months of 2006 and ended up on the road a lot more than I was at home. Some of it was business travel and some of it personal, including an emotional trip to be with my stepfather at the end of his life. My first day back home I spent an hour driving the auto tour loop to try to lift my spirits a bit.
The refuge was happy to oblige. The water levels were high and so the waterfowl were scattered far and wide, usually far from the road. Many coots were close by however and actively foraging for plants under the water, so I spent some time watching them as the tundra swans noisily congregated in the distance. A red-tailed hawk came soaring towards the car, and then sunset arrived. Some of the swans took to the skies and I was fortunate enough to photograph some of them against the soft pink of the sky opposite to the setting sun. After the sun set, I observed the first short-eared owl I had ever seen as it captured a vole and carried it off in its talons. |
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Elegant
An adult tundra swan swims through shallow water along the auto tour. You can see the small yellow part at the base of the bill that is one of the defining marks of a tundra swan.
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Valentine’s Day Surprise
While swans are commonly seen at Ridgefield during the winter, they usually congregate too far off for full-body portraits, even for such a large bird and even with a telephoto lens. Sometimes you’ll get lucky, however, and find a cooperative bird or two. On Valentine’s Day in 2003, this swan was resting on a berm that runs between one of the large ponds and a drainage ditch beside the road. It soon settled down for a long winter’s nap.
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Hey Ladies!
I have mixed feelings every year when spring comes to Ridgefield. I’m saddened that the large numbers of wintering waterfowl are beginning to migrate out, but anxiously awaiting the spring migrants that will pass through, not to mention the summer residents. The turtles, snakes, and frogs show their faces once more. Plus you get to see mating displays and eventually the young ones of the animals that nest on the refuge.
A particular spring delight are the cinnamon teal that ring the ponds and lakes of the auto tour, the males bobbing their heads up and down and chattering as they impress the females. They are frequently near the road now so they are much more visible, all the more so given the absence of the large flocks of ducks. The mating displays aren’t all about impressing the ladies, but also to ward away rival suitors. An approaching male will join in the head bob dance and they will chatter at one another until the victor chases off his rival. This male was displaying for a nearby female, the head is at its low point in the bob and he’s chattering softly to her. With his head fully raised, I couldn’t capture the top of his head and still keep his reflection in the frame. It’s times like this that I wish my 500mm lens could zoom back just a bit. |
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Worth the Wait
When looking for wildlife, it can be a difficult call whether to stay in the same spot for a while or to move around and see what you can find. It often comes down to my mood and my instinct, particularly at a place like Ridgefield that I’ve visited many times.
On this morning, I was reflective and content, so when I saw a bald eagle perched in the distance, I stopped and watched for about an hour just to see what might happen. I’m thankful that I did as this teal and his mate eventually came into view and then swam up near me to feed. The following morning, however, I was quite restless and spent most of the time on the move. |