Reader Lenora good sent some nice waterfowl shots; I’ve indented her text and IDs (she asks that readers correct them if they’re wrong). The shots were taken Richland, Washington, in Columbia Park.
If anyone wants to correct my names, I’m all for an education. I’m depending on people who are birders and what I can find on the web. I’ve begged the birds to wear their IDs, but … There is a resident gaggle of geese who live at the park all year and several odd hybrids, etc., waddling around. The white ones are probably Domestic Greylag Geese (Anser anser), the dark one is possible a female Chinese goose (Anser cygnoides)“Who’s the fairest one of all? Obviously not the one who forgot to shampoo this morning!”
Male Chinese goose (Anser cygnoides).
“Ladies, are you coming? Let’s not take all day.” (There were two more geese behind him.)
Probable male GreylagsWhy did the geese cross the road? Because their GI (Goose Instructor) taught them cadence. “Hup, two, three…”
American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) and the odd ducks.
“Does this new suit make my elbows look dirty?”
At 34°F it was cold out, but I wanted some fog shots.
Female Chinese goose (Anser cygnoides)“Everyone sing!”
Two pair of Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and a pair of Cold Ducks
And a very rare bird!
Thought you might like to see this shot. It’s really a crappy shot, but the Canada goose (Branta canadensis) wouldn’t move, and the female common merganser (Mergus merganser) refused to pose. If you look behind the goose you will see the very shy and elusive wild bathtub duck. This is not a hybrid, I’ve been told, but one of the original wild ones the domestic ones may have come from. They do show up on the Columbia River now and then.
Nice set
The penultimate one looks like a beautifully moody painting
Thank you.
I enjoyed the birds and you commentary – including the wild bathtub duck. 😎
Ditto. Thanks, Lenora!
Alas, the wild bathtub duck quickly scurried away before I could get more shots. They are very shy. and a favorite of the island coyotes, I understand.
The bathtub duck must be Anas plasticrhynchos
Very good! Enjoyed the commentary too.
What would Honey do if one of the bathtub ducks appeared in “her” pond?
Very nice work, Lenora, and lots of fun! The female Chinese goose is particularly striking. Thanks.
You’re welcome. Thank you for the kind words.
Nice.
If one is interested in the geographic dispersal of the wild bathtub duck (Anas solium?? – could use some help from someone with some Latin), there’s an interesting book out there, Moby Duck, by Donovan Hohn.
Wow, that’s now on my reading list. I seriously doubt ‘my’ duck is one of ‘his’ ducks — too far from the ocean. However, every so often we have duck races here on the Columbia, I vaguely recall the race is a fund raiser for some charity, so I imagine that’s where ‘mine’ came from at some point. Or from a kit throwing his or hers into the water. But I don’t know. There are four dams between the ocean and Richland Wa — Bonneville, The Dalles, John Day, and McNary. Hard for a wee yellow duck to navigate those locks. 😉
Fantastic photos. Regarding the Anas plasticrhynchos, here in South Australia we have had bathtub duck races in the river at Strathalbyn. They may have been domesticated rather than wild, however!
Thank you for sharing your great pictures (and sense of humour)!