Avian potpourri and a feel good story.
Occasionally I post a group of photos that were taken recently but didn’t quite make the cut for a post of their own, usually because of some shortcoming or flaw or because at first glance they didn’t stand out for any positive reason. I do this because I think it gives readers a sense of some of the birds I’ve been seeing here in northern Utah and a feeling for some of the experiences I’ve had in the field.
Today’s post is such a grouping. Each photo below was taken in the last nine days.
A male Ruddy Duck that simply refused to come in close, despite me giving him plenty of opportunity. There was another male Ruddy further away who appeared to be in his full breeding colors but this guy seemed to be running a little short on hormones.
An American Coot performing a wing flap. I just liked the shape and position of the coot’s wings and the reflections in the water.
A Pied-billed Grebe scurrying off with crayfish prey. I like the reflection and the spiky look of the crayfish with all of those walking legs sticking out in disarray.
An Eared Grebe. This time of year I rarely get a chance to photograph this species but recently I’ve found and been able to get close to two of them – one at Bear River MBR and this one.
An immature male Common Goldeneye, just because I like the crazy reflections in the water.
This was a fun one, despite the softness of the photos. These two Pied-billed Grebes were about to have one of the most furious fights I’ve experienced with the species. The bird in the center knows what’s coming so ‘he’ performed a power dive….
straight down rather than forward. Immediately after I took this shot the second grebe followed him down and then all hell broke loose. But the entire fight, quite a long one, occurred just beneath the water’s surface so all I saw was an incredible amount of flying water.
I’d love to have had an underwater camera aimed their way.
My experience with this immature Rough-legged Hawk might have been my most disappointing in the last nine days.
It may look like the hawk was taking off but it was just wing-posing for me. I got lots of shots similar to this one and this pose was my favorite of the bunch. But all of my photos of this bird were quite soft, due to cold temperatures and variable expansion and contraction of my camera gear while I had my warm lens poked out my pickup window into the very cold air. During processing I even applied twice my normal amount of sharpening to the photo but it’s still embarrassingly soft.
I guess I’m posting the photo out of spite.
I’ll end on a high note.
This female Canvasback has had a rough go of it lately. She was injured and rehabbed by the folks at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah (WRCNU). They believe she was injured in a storm that caused her to have head trauma and a split bill. When her injuries healed our own April Olson released her at this location about a week ago and as of yesterday she’s still there.
In this photo her pose is a little different because she’s settling down back into the water after a wing flap that I didn’t notice until it was just a little to late to capture her wings out.
Thanks to DaLyn, Buz, April and the rest of the staff and volunteers at WRCNU she appears to be doing just fine. In my book, heroes all.
Ron
Late to the party again! I had a busy day and stopped by Farmington Bay for sunset while out that way. Nice group of birds. It is good to see the canvasback doing fine and staying out of hunting zones. Thank you for the mention of WRCNU, it takes a tribe!
“it takes a tribe”
It sure does. But you Chiefs bear the brunt of it.
Thank you to April and the other rehabbers for giving this fine lady another chance at life “on the wild side.” ❤️
I feel like the Roughie is actually posing for you, which makes everything even more frustrating, I’m sure.
To me, the high note of this Birdpourri is that you have made an American Coot look almost regal! 👑 THAT is quite the accomplishment! 😉
“you have made an American Coot look almost regal”
It can be done, Marty. But I’ll admit, I appreciate coots more for their goofy side… 🙂
Agreed! 🤣
I laughed at the “out of spite” comment. Nice! That’ll show him!
“That’ll show him”
Made me feel better to post it… in spite.
All the reds, golds, yellows, blacks. And that’s just the eyes. I do enjoy your salmagundi posts. Gives me a chance to improve my ID skills. I got all but the canvasback. The best of our species, your friends at WRCNU and rehabilitators everywhere.
Thanks for the new word, Lyle. As you may have predicted I had to look it up.
Love the variety in today’s post, and it does provide a sense of what’s present down there through the winter. And the grebe makes an excellent followup to yesterday’s series. Thanks!
Thank you, Quentin.
This superb series made my morning coffee better.
Love any shot of a bird with prey and that Grebe with the crayfish is great!
Very impressive photograph of the Coot as I find it difficult to achieve the right color balance due to the extreme contrast of plumage and bill. The reflections really add a warm touch.
Thanks, Wally. Yes, coots can be difficult to photograph well. Soft morning light often helps.
I always enjoy your potpourri (which doesn’t irritate my nose and eyes the way the smelly stuff often does). And yes, you definitely finished this series on a high note. A very high note.
Thank you, EC.
I love this post, the variety of photos and accompanying stories! Naturally my heart is singing for the female Canvasback and her successful rehab at WRCNU! The real challenge is catching the injured wild duck, goose or swan! Being able to document the success of a rehabbed bird is the best confirmation of a job well done for a rehabilitator. The two fighting Pied-Billed Grebes are exciting. Yes, an underwater drone would be an amazing asset in your arsenal. The immature Golden-Eye is lovely. My favorite of the group is the immature Rough-Legged Hawk. It is as if it is waiting for the perfect gust of wind to lift it effortlessly and carry him to the thermals.
Melanie, there’s been a Canada Goose with an injured wing at this location recently but it would be virtually impossible to catch and rehab. We can’t save them all.
Great variety. I love the Grebe with the crayfish!
Thanks, Bruce.
Hello, Ron,
These are amazing photos. I look at your blog every single day and it’s always a joyous experience. Thank you!
I loved the shaken-crayfish pictures and lesson. Here’s a question: are the crayfish you’ve been posting native to Utah, or are they invasive? Do they hibernate, or are they active all winter? Do you happen to know the Latin name of your crayfish over there?
Meg, Utah has only one native crayfish species, the pilose crayfish – Pacifastacus gambelii. Crayfish don’t hibernate but they become much less active in winter when the water’s very cold.
Love this! The reflections on the Common Goldeye are striking if I do say so myself.
Thank you, Barbara.
Wow – I like them all, but especially the wings up Coot and the Grebe with the spiky looking Crayfish and that super reflection. Those two are very special. Since most of us rarely take photos of Coots that might be the best I have ever seen.
I like that coot shot too, Everett. I just wish it was sharper.
Enjoyable potpourri!
Thanks.
Quite the series, Ron. The Coot and 2nd fighting grebes are particularly attractive to me. Of course, the feel good story brings a smile – can’t save them all BUT nice to have a small victory in that department…… 🙂
Thanks, Judy. They’re small victories to us but to the bird involved they’re huge.