This past week I came across a huge flock of Canvasbacks. I have never seen so many and they were all mine ..... to photograph.
A diving duck, Canvasbacks have made a tremendous comeback since their numbers dwindled in the 1980's. Traveling at speeds near 70 mph, they are one of the fastest-flying ducks on earth. They are also one of the most beautiful.
Photo #1 is a male Canvasback
A Few Waterfowl Pics
Excellent shots Linth!!
All those Canvasbacks must have been an incredible site!
Really beautiful pictures there -- I'll have to go back to the artificial swamp in our local park and see what I can get.
These beatiful photos make me want to go check out our wildlife preserve. Too bad it is suppose to rain on both of my next days off from work.
And, as I was heading home, I got the best prize of all .... An adult Bald Eagle just off the side of the road. He was feasting on a Tundra Swan that he picked out of a flock of Tundra's in a field on the other side of the road. I cropped the photo quite a bit so as not to offend anyone with the sight. He wasn't concerned one bit with my presence. After taking 100 pics from the car window, I departed and he was still dining.
What a great day you had Linth!!!
Thanks so much for posting the beautiful pics!
Pelle
Really enjoyed this whole series. Well done.
D
Well done indeed! Loved looking at these outstanding pics!
Rose
Your amazing photographs belong in a book.
More great pics Linth! I can't believe I'm saying this but that Kestrel is just adorable!
Rose
Awesome photos, linth!!
Great series, linthicum. I live far south and I really miss most of the ducks I normally saw further North. Very few come this far South. Most on our flyway are anchored by the great number of milo grain fields in Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle. I guess they prefer food to abundant water.
Amazing pictures, Linthicum!
Excellent pics Linth!
Wow! It looks like it was beautiful....
Great series.
Miss seeing the ducks, as the lake just froze over in the last couple days. I have never seen so many canvas backs. That must have been something to see! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks again, everyone.
Gary, nice photos. That sure is a distinct difference. I went back through some of my photos to see if could find anything close to yours. The closest I could find is this one.
Gary, on another subject .......... Have you ever visited Homer, Alaska ? Have you heard of the "Eagle Lady" - Jean Keene ?
Have you ever visited Homer, Alaska ? Have you heard of the "Eagle Lady"
Homer, AK is 245 highway miles form Anchorage. I haven't been there in about 4 years, and never in the winter when there's a large concentration of Eagles. The "Eagle Lady" is rather infamous, at least as far as the Dept. of Fish & Game is concerned. She has created a large population of Eagles dependent on an artificial food source. She's old and won't be around to beg and barrow the tons of fish need to feed this artificially maintained population to much longer. ADF&G wants to fase out the artificial feeding of Eagles on the Homer Spit. She has created a very controversial situation.
The Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, near Haines, AK, is the annual gathering site of more than 3,500 Bald Eagles, from late October through January. It's the largest natural concentration of Bald Eagles in the world. The main eagle viewing area is along the Chilkat River flats, between mile posts 18 to 24 of the Haines Hwy. I spent Christmas day 1984 photographing eagles in the preserve. Unfortunately, Haines is a full days drive from Anchorage, including 329 miles through the Yukon Territory and British Colombia, Canada to reach the top of the panhandel.
No one seems to give a "hoot" about the ol' American Coot ...
Coots are rare in Anchorage. When one showed up at a local lake last fall, there were daily posting of siting and location, on AKBirding net site.
Gary
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