Saturday, February 26, 2011

Ice-out: Waterfowl Sightings Increase


With the arrival of warmer temps streams, lakes, and wetlands are beginning to open.  As soon as open water appears waterfowl begins appearing also.  I found this group of Common Mergansers swimming in a stream among the floating ice during last weekend's ice-out

Tiring of the photographers attention the mergansers soon decided to relocate to a more secluded spot on the stream.

Each winter I await the coming of spring with much anticipation.  The spring waterfowl migrations are for me the most exciting part of the season.  During the autumn migrations waterfowl is hunted all along their journey making the birds wary and extremely difficult to photograph.  The spring migration finds the birds much more trusting as nearly all waterfowl hunting seasons are closed.  Let the hunters have the fall, I'll take spring anytime; a time when I can hunt the beautiful birds passing through our area with no competition.

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9 comments:

Ruth Hiebert said...

This is a promising look.We are somewhat behind you in the spring melt,but come it will.Hunting with a camera is so much better,than with a gun.
Blessings,Ruth

Lois Evensen said...

Lovely images. I, too, prefer hunting with my camera.

eileeninmd said...

Fantastic captures of the Mergansers. Love the flight shot.

imac said...

What beauty, you captured Coy.

EG CameraGirl said...

I'm forever trying to get decent photos of common mergansers so I'm impressed by yours! They don't tolerate people being very close, do they?!

Elaine said...

Beautiful shots! I do enjoy the spring migration time, but here the fall isn't too bad either since they are just starting on their journey south.

Kjell T. Evensen said...

I can still see the footsteps in the water after "take off".

Seriously, very nice images. :)

Nellie from Beyond My Garden said...

You are so right. they are migrating through here now, too.
nellie

Louise said...

I'll have to look for mergansers on Lake Ontario or the Bay this year. Spring won't come, here, for a few weeks, but I'll enjoy seeing your Spring unfold ahead of mine.