Ducks, Geese and Swans

Common Teal - Burnaby Lake, BC This is one of those birds that have a duplicate that lives either in North America, or Eurasia. This is a Common, or Eurasian Teal that is usually found along the southern shores of Eastern Asia, India, the southern and eastern shores of the Mediterranean, and the Nile river valley in the winter. For some reason this male teal decided to head across at Alaska and stay in Vancouver for the winter. Not like the other, the common teal has a white and black stripe down the wing and not the white stripe of his cousin the American Green-winged Teal extending down the shoulder. Michael W Klotz 2021 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Common Teal - Burnaby Lake, BC
Red-breasted Merganser - Port McNeil, BC Sometimes when you are patient, the birds will come to you. That was the case for us on the city dock while we waited for this Red-breasted Merganser to make his way from just outside the breakwater to with in 15feet of us so we could see that stunning red eye. These
Red-breasted Merganser - Port McNeil, BC
Snow Goose - Parksville Beach, BC Some smaller white geese on the lawn at Parksville Beach just didn't fit in with the large flock or Canadian geese. These were a addition to our Nanaimo lists. Most of our geese that run down our coast to wintering grounds are summer residents of Alaska or Russia on the Tundra near the water. They will head north to nest but may find snow on the ground still. If there is snow in late June, they will not nest and will head south waiting for another season to breed. Michael W Klotz 2021 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Snow Goose - Parksville Beach, BC
Trumpeter Swan - Westholme, BC This is the largest swan to live and breed in North America and can be identified by the loud bugling sound the birds makes when flying. They are pure white with black bills and black lores. The rusty coloring in the head comes from the iron in the soil where they bury their heads looking for roots and tubers in the soft ground. Not far from this location where several swans were resting, a large group was in an ice free creek where they were bobbing for food on the river bottom. This particular group of swans winter on Vancouver Island just north of Victoria in Westholme. Michael W Klotz 2021 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Trumpeter Swan - Westholme, BC
Ruddy Duck - Mahoney Lake, BC Ruddy Ducks stand out on a lake when it is breeding season. The males are are a deep chestnut with a white cheek and a bright baby blue beak. I was lucky enough to catch this male in his breeding display. The beak is thrust down on the chest and the air is forced out blowing bubbles. It is all finished with a resounding grunt/quack. The female didn't seem impressed, but maybe I just don't understand the finer points of Ruddy Duck Courtship. This was taken in the BC Okanagan on Mahoney Lake Michael W Klotz 2021 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Ruddy Duck - Mahoney Lake, BC
Harlequin Duck - Stanley Park, BC During a walk along the seawall at Stanley Park, we noticed that there were 4 Harlequin Ducks feeding in and around the exposed rocks on low tide. They made their way around the point in an among some Barrow's Goldeneye with the same idea. Harlequin ducks spend the winters on the rocky sea coasts and the summers in the fast flowing streams of the mountains. The name Harlequin comes from the costume worn in the Italian comedy by a character known to be a trickster and a lover. Michael W Klotz 2020 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Harlequin Duck - Stanley Park, BC
White-winged Scoters - White Rock Pier, BC We see White-winged scoters here on the Southern Coast of British Columbia through out the winter months. These sea ducks come down from their breeding territory east of the Rockies from Canada all the way north to the northern interior of Alaska. The young of this species is left alone by the mothers at 3 weeks of age but stay together as siblings for up to three weeks. Michael W Klotz 2021 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
White-winged Scoter - White Rock Pier, BC
Barrow's Goldeneye - Stanley Park, BC ​This handsome sea duck is a visitor to our saltwater bays and shorelines here in Vancouver for about 5 months. They spend the breeding season in the Canadian Rocky Mountains north through southern Alaska. They can also be found in Iceland year round. They spend their time in schools mostly, diving for shellfish and crustaceans along the rock shores. They are very similar to the Common Goldeneyes but can be told apart by the mark just in front of their eye. I have always thought that the mark looked somewhat like a Nike Swoosh. The common in comparison has a round circle as his beauty mark. Michael W Klotz 2020 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Barrow's Goldeneye - Stanley Park, BC
Redhead - Cloverdale Athletic Park, BC It was a treat this winter to see a female redhead wintering in a very small and local pond in Cloverdale. It is most likely the same bird that was here last winter as well using the same pond. These birds are not usually found here summer or winter, but are seen on the way through to the interior of British Columbia or coming back south during migration. Redheads are one of those special birds with just one name like Cher or Madonna that need no other description. Michael W Klotz 2020 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Redhead - Cloverdale Athletic Park, BC
Cackling Geese - Burnaby Lake, BC These small geese are found along the northern Alaskan and Canadian Coasts during the summer but are found along the Pacific Northwest and BC coast and margins as well as the Southern States southern shores and farmland. They may seem no different than the Canada Goose, but there are
Cackling Geese - Burnaby Lake, BC
Ring-necked Duck - Lost Lagoon, BC Along the south edge of Stanley Park's Lost Lagoon, is and area that the ducks and geese like to spend some time looking for free hand outs. Once in a while, a duck that doesn't usually fit the bill,
Ring-necked Duck - Lost Lagoon, BC
Greater White-fronted Goose - Sunset Beach Park, BC A lone Greater White-fronted Goose was trimming the lawn at Sunset Beach in downtown Vancouver. We have a pretty good population of Canadian Geese here for the winter but the last two years we have seen a lone
Greater White-fronted Goose - Sunset Beach Park, BC
Common Mergansers - Serpentine Fen, BC During an evening walk on the Serpentine River in Surrey, BC, a trio of male Common Mergansers were fishing in the same general area. Spread out, each bird would dive with his own timing and rhythm along the ribbon of water and pop up twenty yards from where he had started. As if some quick discussion took place, the three birds started moving towards each other, all headed in the same direction, This still was the photo finish for an unspoken and lazy race, from which, they all headed off once again to fish their own corners of the river. Michael W Klotz 2020 - www.TheBirdBlogger.comPicture
Common Mergansers - Serpentine Fen, BC
Common Merganser Female - Serpentine Fen, BC There are a few ducks where the female stands out at being as attractive as the males and this is one. The female Common Merganser is a common resident during the winter here hunting fish and crustaceans in the local tidal rivers and bays in Vancouver. You can tell what each duck eats by the shape of the bill and this fish hunter needs a pointy bill with a bit of a hook at the end where as Northern Shovelers filter out the plankton and biofilm off the top of the water. This was taken at the Serpentine Fen in the suburb of Surrey, BC Michael W Klotz 2020 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Common Merganser Female - Serpentine Fen, BC
Surf Scoter - White Rock Pier, BC White Rock pier offer some of the best viewing of these sea ducks. Surf Scoter spend the winter around Vancouver shores diving for clams and other shellfish in groups as large 4000 birds. In summertime they are found on their breeding grounds in fresh water lakes around the northern parts of Canada and Alaska. There are three species of Scoter that live here in North America, including the White-winged Scoter and the Black Scoter and all can be seen off the pier in White Rock. Michael W Klotz 2020 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Surf Scoter - White Rock Pier, BC
Hooded Mergansers - Colony Farm, BC Momma keeping one eye on the rif raf taking pictures while baby takes a rest snuggled in. This pair was in the drainage canal for Colony Farm at the intersection north of the pump house relaxing on a boom that keeps the debris out of the pump. The males are spectacular in their breeding plumage but the female is the one to make sure babies grow up. They are similar to wood ducks in they nest in cavities in trees and are most likely benefiting from wood duck boxes. Michael W Klotz 2020 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Hooded Merganser - Colony Farms, BC
White-winged Scoter 2 - White Rock Pier, BC Picture
White-winged Scoter 2 - White Rock Pier, BC