Ducks, Geese and Swans - THE BIRD BLOGGER

THE BIRD BLOGGER

Ducks, Geese and Swans

Long-tailed Duck - Sandheads, BC There is no question why this bird has its name! These very pretty and distinctive ducks have wonderful plumage in the summer and winter. This bird is just in from the north where it breeds and is already in its winter colors in November. The summer plumage the birds carry on the tundra in their breeding range is very different, with a comparison here. This was shot during the Important Bird Area Count for the Fraser River Delta in the Salish Sea. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com 2022

Long-tailed Duck - Sandheads, BC

Harlequin Duck - Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal 2 This handsome fella is usually found in the mountain creeks and rivers during the summer months making his way between rapids and pools of water between the rocks. This is where the ducklings are raised, but some years the water levels are too high to nest successfully and some of the birds make their way back to the coast. This bird was working the rocky shores of the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal where they are on a regular occasion on the south side of the Jetty. Michael W Klotz 2022 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com

Harlequin Duck - Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal, BC 2

Northern Shoveller Pair - Iona Island Picture

Northern Shoveller Pair - Iona Island, BC

Whooper Swan - Trout Lake, BC Funny story to go along with this rare bird sighting. My girl and I were headed to Washington state from Vancouver where we were going spend a nice romantic weekend looking for a Whooper Swan. This bird had stuck for several months just north of Seattle and we were making the pilgrimage to find him. The day before we headed south, a rare bird alert came over from Dare to Bird saying we had a Whooper in Trout Lake! Of course we both saw the bird while it stopped for a day and a bit which meant a tad more quality time at the cabin and a little less roaming the countryside. Michael W Klotz 2021 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com

Whooper Swan - Trout Lake, BC

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

Green-winged Teal - Burnaby Lake Picture

Green-winged Teal - Burnaby 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

Green-winged Teal - Burnaby Lake, BC Green-winged teal make a winter home at Burnaby Lake's piper spit and are relatively common. This very cold day had the birds all fluffed up to keep a little heat in. Because of the way the birds were holding their feathers, the green on the teals colored wing patch, or speculum, shows amazingly well. This beautiful little duck is the smallest dabbling duck in North America but an be found in almost every state and province during the year. Michael W Klotz 2020 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture

Green-winged Teal - Burnaby Lake, BC

Greater White-Fronted Goose - Stanley Park, BC Stanley Park is an amazing place to bird and this winter was no exception. This Greater White-front was cozying up to a flock of Canadian Geese for the winter months among the lawns near second beach. January saw a bit of snow but as you can see, not so much to cover all the goose food up. These birds are usually found somewhat further south in the non-breeding season, but we will have the occasional small flock here for the winter. Michael W Klotz 2019 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture

Greater White-Fronted Goose - Stanley Park, BC

Lesser Scaup - Vancvouer, BC During the Birds of a Feather Walk at Lost Lagoon at Stanley Park for Stanley Park Ecology Society, there was a very friendly Scaup along the shore. They are easy to separate from the rest of the ducks as they are usually diving completely under water for their food. Lesser Scaup are hard to tell from Greater Scaup but if you have a close look at the back of the head, the Lesser have a flat section seen here. The Greaters have a much more rounded head. Notice also the green sheen rather than the purple color on the Lesser species. Most of the time the head just appears dark and so is not the greatest way to tell the two apart. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture

Lesser Scaup - Vancouver, BC

Northern Pintail - Burnaby, BC Along Piper Spit on the north side of Burnaby Lake, there are a large number of ducks of all sorts looking for handouts. Most of the feathers belong to Mallards or Wood Ducks, but there are occasionally others like this Northern Pintail. This male has started getting ready for breeding with the blue beak and clean white breast feathers. The tell tale tail feathers are coming in nicely as well. Northern Pintail head north for breeding and are mostly seen here in the non breeding season. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture

Northern Pintail - Burnaby, BC

Common Goldeneye - Vancouver, BC With a golden eye it is hard to mistake this bird for any other duck out there. The green sheen on the head, round white cheek circle and the whiter flanks separate it from it's cousin the Barrow's goldeneye. This was taken on Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park, Vancouver. The sky was just breaking free of the clouds making for an interesting coloring on the water. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture

Common Goldeneye - Vancouver, BC

Wood Duck - Vancouver, BC This is on Stanley Park's Lost Lagoon on a fantastic morning tour with the Birds of a Feather Walk hosted by Stanley Park Ecology Society. This male duck was accompanied by a female not far away and were patrolling the edge of the shore. Mating will be the only thing on this guys mind very soon and the pair will find a suitable nesting hole or box up a tree where the babies will be hatched. Very soon after, they will make the giant fall to the earth and trotted off to the nearest water for relative safety. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture

Wood Duck - Vancouver, BC

Common Merganser Female - Vancouver, BC A female Common Merganser was preening on a rock near the east end of Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park. Preening is an important task for most birds but especially water birds that need the oil from the gland on the rear of the bird. You can see where the feathers are ruffled just above the tail where the gland can be found. Males and females are quite different in coloring where the male is bright white with green, the females have more earth tones. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture

Common Merganser Female - Vancouver, BC

Wood Duck - Delta, BC Reifel Bird Sanctuary is one of the premier birding locations in BC with a ton of migratory birds in the spring and fall and several other residents you won't get to see anywhere else like the family of Sandhill Cranes and the Black-Crowned Night Herons that both winter at the refuge. One of those residents found here all year are Wood ducks with all of their finery. This male was looking for an advantage while the kids supplied seed to the hundreds of mallards, wigeon and pintails on the ground. If you look closely, you can see the nails of these ducks allow them to grasp the branches of trees where they nest in cavities. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture

Wood Duck - Delta, BC

Wood Duck - Burnaby, BC Spring has sprung and the Wood Ducks are parading around with their fancy colors looking for a girlfriend. This duck is no different and is yet to put claim to a pretty little female. Burnaby Lake is one of best location for grabbing photos of the colorful waterfowl at the Piper Spit entrance. This tree nesting duck is comfortable in the water, on land, in the air or on trees. Several of the nesting boxes that are put up around the lake are well used along with some woodpecker nesting holes. The Asian counterpart to the Wood Duck is the Mandarin Duck which is certainly no less dull and has orange

Wood Duck - Burnaby, BC

Northern Shoveler - Surrey, BC This large flat billed duck is a specialized feeder who spends most of the day with the tip of its bill in the water sifting through the small plants and animals that live in the top of the water column. Its not uncommon for them to be seen looking like whirly gig beetles on top of the water. This particular bird was in the ponds on the east side of Serpentine Fen with a mate at sunset. This birds are closely related to mallards but the bill is unmistakable. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com

Northern Shoveler - Surrey, BC

Harlequin Ducks - Oak Bay, BC Two of my favorite ducks on the rocks. Cattle point is one of the best places to view sea birds close up in the winter months. I have see all sorts including the 3 cormorants, Alcids of 4 different varieties, shorebirds that are rock loving as well as loons. These birds are ocean going in the winter but in the summer they are fast flowing mountain stream birds. The white breaks up the shape of the bird along the white wash of the waves or the rapids. Michael W Klotz 2019 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture

Harlequin Ducks - Oak Bay, BC

Immature Snow Goose - Richmond, BC There is wintering population of snow geese here in Richmond that make the very long trip from Wrangle Island Russia every year. These geese have become very used to spending their time in Richmond, Delta and Vancouver fields and foreshore. The immature geese are starting to loose their gray feathers in place of the tell tale white of the adults by February Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture

Immature Snow Goose - Richmond, BC

White-winged Scoter - Crescent Beach, BC This ocean loving duck made a landing on Blackie Spit in Surrey. I have never seen a Scoter on land and they usually are very social. This bird may have not been feeling well so hauled out. I couldn't find anything wrong with the bird so sat an watched him preen for a bit and then happily take off towards the middle of the Bay. On some of the pre-flight warm-up I was lucky enough to catch both wing bars. I always marvel at Scoters ability to eat the shellfish shell and all, digesting the shells in lest than a couple hours. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com

White-winged Scoter - Crescent Beach, BC

Blue Phase Snow Goose - Richmond, BC One of my birding friends mentioned to me that there was a Blue phase Snow Goose feeding in the fields next to the Vancouver Airport. It just so happened that as I was driving out, the flock rose from a hidden field to land right close to the road. And better still the bird that Raymond had mentioned was in the forefront of the flock. You can see that several of the birds were eyeballing the sky as a Bald Eagle flew over. This is my first photograph of the rare color phase, at least here on the west coast. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com

Blue Phase Snow Goose - Richmond BC

Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata White Rock Pier BC British Columbia Canada Water ocean semiahmoo bay duck bird blogger.com waterfowl

Surf Scoter - White Rock

The color of these drakes is fantastic and stands out as one of the more unique waterfowl. We don't see many of these birds in the summer here and very rarely see them in the winter months. This pair and another are spending their time in one of the creeks that doubles a drainage ditch along Colebrook Road in Surrey. These two were so relaxed and unconcerned with my presence that I had to wait 10 minutes for them to pull their heads from their backs to get this shot. Michael Klotz - www.Thebirdblogger.comduck Cinnamon Teal Anas cyanoptera pair surrey colebrook road ditch BC British Columbia Canada grass water red eye blogger com animal bird outdoor

Cinnamon Teal - Surrey

Greater White-fronted Goose - Burnaby, BC The White-fronted part of this goose's name is pretty obvious in the adult birds. (front) This goose breeds in the high Arctic in the summer and winters in in the inland valleys of the Western States and in Mexico, Texas and Louisiana. They are sometime seen in flocks of Canada Geese and are not quite as easy to see as you would think. These geese were hanging out with Canadian and Cackling Geese in the Burnaby Lake Fields just west of the lake. Michael Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture

White-fronted Goose - Burnaby, BC

Harlequin Duck - Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal, BC

Common Goldeneye - Vancouver The differences between common and Barrow's goldeneye males are that the spot infront of their eye is either round or a tear drop. Another difference is there is much more white on the Common. The last is where you can typically find each and the Barrow's seem to stay in the salt water in the winter while the common can be found in both. This male was diving along the shore of Lost Lagoon during the Stanley Park Ecological Society bird walk. Michael Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture

Common Goldeneye - Vancouver

Snow Goose - Richmond We have a resident wintering population of snow goose here on the coast of the Fraser River Delta, who spend their summers in Wrangel Island, Russia. By the spring, they are quite used to people and feed on the grass in parks throughout Richmond and in some cases take over some folks front lawns. The rust on the birds face is just that. When the feed on the roots of plants in the mud, the iron oxide in the mud stains the gooses feathers a rust color. Then they return from the arctic in the fall, they are bright white. Michael Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture

Snow Goose - Richmond

White-winged Scoter - White Rock

Hooded Merganser - First time to Blankensop Lake and across what was the old trestle for the train. This hooded fish duck was not impressed with the attention I was giving him from the bridge and was on high alert. If you look closely, the water that was still on his back from the last dive is rolling around in a sphere on his back. Michael Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture

Hooded Merganser - Saanich

There are always Bufflehead along the White Rock pier but not usually so close. This one was giving a little stretch before diving for more food. Bufflehead start to congregate this time of year and start showing the females their stuff. One of the displays is to take off and slide into the group with a flourish like a teenager on bike skidding to a stop in front of a group of girls. Picture

Bufflehead - White Rock

Northern Pintail - Reifel Bird Sanctuary, BC

Hooded Merganser - Vancouver WDuring a nature walk along Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park, this male merganser gave us some great looks. He was just up from the stone bridge and had several females in the area as well. These little

Hooded Merganser - Vancouver

Lesser Scaup - Burnaby

Common Goldeneye Female - Langley, BC Along the pathway in Campbell Valley Park is a walk over bridge where you can find fresh water ducks. They keep the water ice free when its cold in Langley by diving in the area. This female Common Goldeneye was diving for her meals just on the fringe of a group of Mallard. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture

Common Goldeneye Female - Langley, BC

Harlequin Duck - Victoria, BC I find these ducks some of my favorite for the way the colors and patters absolutely pop out at you when you see them. They spend most of their winters in the surf close to shore looking for invertebrates and fish. In the summers they prefer to live in fast flowing streams. Their latin name Histrionicus histrionicus comes from the root word

Harlequin Duck - Victoria, BC

Brandt, Tsawassen, BC

Brandt - Tsawassen, BC

Barrow's Goldeneye - Lonsdale Quay, BC A raft of around 160 Barrow`s Goldeneyes were foraging under the Lonsdale Quay for shellfish. Every time a person walked up or the ferry came in or out of the port, they made a mad dash for the open water and then slowly make their way back in. The immature males were just showing their white facial marks. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com 2022

Barrow's Goldeneye - Lonsdale Quay, BC

Surf Scoter - White Rock, BC

White-winged Scoter - White Rock, Picture

White-winged Scoter - White Rock, BC

Barrow's Goldeneye - Vancouver, BC This striking sea duck is a winter resident around Stanley Park Sea Wall and are usually found with rafts of Scoters near the Lion's Gate bridge. Barrow's goldeneye spend most of the summer in the mountain lakes along BC, Yukon and Alaska. The best way to tell these goldeneyes from their Common cousins is the Nike Swoosh versus the oval white patch behind their beak. Michael W Klotz 2019 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture

Barrow's Goldeneye - Vancouver, BC

Lost Lagoon is one of the best spots in Vancouver to get shots of water birds close up. This male Wood Duck was just behind the stone bridge with a couple other of the same species. They are truly one of the most beautiful ducks native to North America. Thank you to Liron Gertsman for a great day around Stanley Park. Picture

Wood Duck - Vancouver

Greater White-fronted Goose - Ambleisde, BCPicture

Greater White-fronted Goose - Ambleside, BC

American Black Duck - Beacon Hill Park, BC

Snow Goose

Snow Goose - Richmond, BC

Gadwall Pair - Reifel Bird Sanctuary, BC

American Black Duck - Beacon Hill Park, BC

White-winged Scoter 2 - White Rock Pier, BC Picture

White-winged Scoter 2 - White Rock Pier, BC

Bufflehead - Ambleside Park, BC

Greater White-fronted Goose - Burnaby Lake, BC

Snow Goose - Iona Island, BC

American Wigeon - Ambleside Park, BC

Ring-necked Duck - Brydon Lagoon, BC

Common Goldeneye - Brydon Lagoon. on the golden hour this female goldeneye was diving for duck food. Picture

Common Goldeneye - Brydon Lagoon, BC

Lesser Scaup Picture

Lesser Scaup - Brydon Lagoon, BC

Cackling Goose - Brydon Lagoon, BC

Greater Scaup - 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 - Stanley Park, BC

Common Goldeneye - Lost Lagoon, BC

Usually Shy bird was hanging out in the pond at the pump station at Boundary Bay Regional Park. Very nice showing of his white speculum (wing patch).Picture

Gadwall - Centennial Beach, BC