Lesser Scaup

Flushing Male Lesser Scaup

With the spring waterfowl migration in full swing some of the species have already moved north of my area.  The Lesser Scaup photos on this post were taken on March 30th. 

 

 

Lesser Scaup are one of the earliest to arrive in my area and among the earliest to leave.  This encounter was apparently my last for the spring as I have not located any lesser scaup in subsequent outings. 

 

Two males and a female show their concern about my slowly approaching boat.

Eager for Spring Waterfowl

Buffleheads

 

 I stopped by the local lake today to check on ice conditions.  With the recent temperature swings of the past week going from the lowest temps of the winter to well over 60F Tuesday and back down to 12F last night the coves and the northern part are frozen with 2/3rds of the lake remaining open.  However even with the open water no waterfowl were visible.  While I am always on the look-out for waterfowl sightings it will be a few weeks yet before the spring migration begins.

 Lesser Scaup & Ring-necked Ducks

 

The photos shown here were captured in mid-November as the birds passed by on their southward migration.  While I have been hoping to find a time when weather and my schedule coincide for a visit to Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge on Maryland's Eastern Shore to photograph wintering waterfowl it has yet to work out.

Canada Geese & Tundra Swan

While we are again locked in winter's embrace, by the last week of the month Snow Geese and Tundra Swans should begin arriving at the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area near Lancaster Pennsylvania.  I am planning my visit for the first week of March as this coincided with the opening of the roads through the WMA (unless blocked by snow) and usually the largest concentration of migrating snow geese.

Going Quackers

Mallards in Flight

 

With the deer hunting season in full swing and hunter pressure Saturday second only to opening day on Monday, I decided to check out a couple of spots for waterfowl.  My first stop was at a local wetland but it was ice covered.  Moving on to a local lake I spotted a couple of flocks in deeper water well out from shore.

 

While checking the lake from I encountered a fellow photographer visiting from Germany.  He was concerned that he was to meet a couple here for a photo outing and had not been able to find them.  I realized that I had probably just seen them at another lake access point so I directed him there noting that I was going to return later with the boat.

Mallards

 

Returning with the boat a couple of hours later, the little photo group was at the boat dock.  As I prepared to launch we chatted and I was pleased to learn that the locals were familiar with Country Captures and had visited both here and Elk County because of the images they had found here.  After launching the boat I noticed that our German visitor was still at his car so I invited him to a photo cruise on the lake.  With a big smile he responded "I would love to".

 

For the next couple of hours we cruised the lake; however the waterfowl would have none of it anytime I attempted to close the distance.  With the autumn waterfowl hunting season ongoing, and at least one group of hunters concealed along the shore behind a decoy spread, the ducks were not about to allow any boat to approach within shotgun range. 

 

 

Lesser Scaup

 

In spring I am accustomed to the scaup flushing at about 100 yards, with other species normally allow closer approaches.  Ruddy ducks are usually the most trusting, many times not flushing until I am within 15-20 yards, however now all of the ducks were flushing 200 yards or more out.

Ruddy Ducks

 

During our cruise I had to settle for passing shots at extreme range however having a good chatting companion more than made up for the duck disappointment.

Mallard male Flushing

 

After dropping my new found friend off at his car I returned to the lake and did manage to locate a mallard pair feeding in the shallows.  Approaching them I stayed focused waiting for the flush shot.  While the range was still farther than what I would have liked, by using the 600mm lens and cropping some, I did manage an acceptable image as the male took flight.

Mallard female Flushing

A moment later the female followed the male again giving me a decent take-off shot

 

With the outlook for duck photography bleak because of the wary birds I began to focus on fishing.  Even though the water temp read 34 degrees, after some searching, I managed to find some active bluegills.  As the sun dropped near the horizon I headed back to the launch with a few images in the camera and a nice catch of gills in the livewell.  Not bad for an outing on the first day of December!

Boating for Waterfowl

Among to many ways to enjoy the outdoors one of my favorites is by boat.  Over the years I have owned boats ranging from a little 12 foot jon boat that I car-topped to a 21ft cabin rig that carried me over much of the Chesapeake Bay.  My most used boat has been a 15 foot aluminum modified V bass boat with both gas and electric motor.  I have towed this boat as far north as Central Ontario and south to North Carolina in search of fishing adventures as well as using it extensively locally.  Since getting back into photography with the advent of digital I have been boating a great deal combining fishing with waterfowl photography. 

Saturday morning I wet the boat for the first time this year in a nearby lake.  Launching was difficult as the Pa Fish and Boat Commission had lowered the lake some 7-8 feet last fall in anticipation of dam repairs.  The water was deep enough at the launch ramp for me to get the boat off but a rock ledge just beyond required wading in and rocking the boat by hand to get it through an area of 3-4 inch deep water.  Although noting so much as bumped the lures I was trolling the morning was well worth the effort as waterfowl was plentiful.

This first shot is of a flock of Ring-necked ducks feeding along the shoreline as the morning sun lights the scene nearly to the water's edge.  The base of the trees mark the normal shoreline when the lake is at normal level.  A scenic shot was the best I could do as these ducks flew before I could approach within good camera range.

A small flock of Lesser Scaup did likewise but at a close enough distance to allow me to capture this nice flight shot.

Passing overhead a flock of female Red-breasted mergansers formed the familiar V shaped pattern so common with migrating waterfowl.

When I noticed a lone unidentified duck flying by I took a quick shot in hopes of being able to id it from the photograph.  Even though the distance was long and the image is heavily cropped it is easy to identify it as a Green-winged Teal; a bird that I seldom see in my local.

During this outing I observed the waterfowl pictured here along with the following; horned grebe, loon, common merganser,bufflehead, and ruddy ducks. 

The spring waterfowl migrations are a wonderful time to be outdoors enjoying what nature has to offer.  I am trying to find as much time as possible to photograph these beautifully colored travelers as they only too quickly pass through our area.

Camera Critters: First Day of Spring

After what seemed to be a very long cold winter spring arrived almost as fast as if one had flipped a switch. While snow still covered much of the landscape last Friday, now it only lingers in a few spots. Yesterday I noticed my first blooming daffodils, what a pretty spot of color against the brown landscape!

Today I towed the boat to the nearby lake in hopes of encountering some of the migrating waterfowl now streaming through our area and I was not to be disappointed. During the morning I spotted three Red-breasted Merganser males, a pair of Hooded Mergansers, a flock of twenty or so Ring-necked ducks, a pair of Wood Ducks, two pair of Mallards, three Horned Grebes, a number of Canada Geese and one Lesser Scaup male.

I found this Lesser Scaup hanging out with the Ring-necked ducks but when they took flight he stayed behind. I was able to maneuver the boat to within close camera range as he swam the length of the lake.

Getting the boat too close for his comfort, the Scaup began pattering across the surface is a great spray of water

As those of you who have followed Country Captures for some time know, getting out on the water with the migrating waterfowl is one of my favorite photography pursuits.

Using a boat frequently allows me to get very close to waterfowl and sometimes it makes it possible to capture spectacular take-off images. Boating for waterfowl also allows me to combine photography with another of my favorite activities, fishing, and today was no exception. After the waterfowl action had died down for the morning I picked up the rod and caught a nice meal of spring bluegills. Boating, birds, fishing and beautiful warm weather; today certainly was the perfect First Day of Spring.

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