Birds by Boat

Heading out on the water at this time of year one never knows what wildlife encounters that awaits.  During a recent outing I noticed a pair of gulls arrive and immediately begin fishing.  Moving closer I made this wing shot as one of the Bonaparte's Gulls hovered nearby.  These tiny gulls are common visitors to my area during both their spring and autumn migration.  This bird is still sporting its winter plumage.

Horned Grebe's in both winter and breeding plumage are also common during the spring migration.  They can be quite wary and difficult to photograph.  Usually they dive while still out of camera range.  This time I guessed correctly and steered the boat to intercept the grebe when it surfaced managing a couple of shots before it again submerged.

Rounding a bend in the shoreline I was already within range of a Ring-necked duck pair when I came into sight.  They immediately took flight allowing only a moment to capture the male in an explosion of spray.