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The Black Scoter is a sea duck that winters along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of North America. They begin courting mates in December and you can hear the males distinctive call as large flocks gather together. The males are easy to spot with the bright orange knob on their bill. Males perform courtship displaysContinue reading “Feathered Action: Black Scoter Courtship”

Found while attempting to better organize my too large pile of photos. Aplomado Falcons are a widespread, but uncommon, raptor in Central and South America. They have become rare in the southern US but are starting to come back in southeast Texas with the help of conservationists that provide new habitat for them. This isContinue reading “Found in the Clutter: Aplomado Falcon”

A large flock of a few hundred Blue-winged Teal suddenly took to the air while I was photographing them. They flew in a couple of circles around the ponds and landed back where they started. There was no sign of predators such as a Bald Eagle so I don’t know what caused this behavior. ButContinue reading “Feathered Action: Blue-winged Teal”

This is a colorful winter visitor to our shores. Harlequin Ducks breed in eastern Siberia, Alaska, western and eastern Canada, Greenland and Iceland. They move southward to the coastal areas not far from their breeding grounds in the winter. The Harlequins off the New England coast come from the Canadian Maritimes and adjacent parts ofContinue reading “Snapshot: Harlequin Duck”

My last several posts were from Florida. Now it’s back to the colder January New England coast and my usual locales. This male Surf Scoter was photographed at Cape Neddick in Maine.

A Sandwich Tern drops in to join a large group of birds relaxing on a sandbar. The group includes Royal Terns, Black Skimmers and Laughing Gulls.

A White Ibis joins a small flock of Glossy Ibis.

Anhingas are a common sight in the American southeast. They are often seen in trees or on the shore drying their feathers like this male. They chase fish while submerged and their bodies are always low in the water. The serpentine head and neck are all that is visible at a distance when they areContinue reading “Snapshot: Anhinga”

The largest woodpecker in North America. This is a female. Males have a red “moustache”.