Plymouth Massachusetts

Ring-necked Duck Hen flapping after preening

It is Tuesday, March 25, 2014, Doug and I went birding and I as usual photographed some of the findings  in Plymouth Massachusetts. The morning was cold but there was no wind and with the sun shining it was comfortable. We were dressed in appropriate clothing and really did not need most of the time heavy gloves. Besides photographs to determine and prove what species we seen I also looked for activity rather than just confirmation photographs. I obtained a number of photographs showing many waterfowl preening and diving for food.

Mute Swan preening

Three Bufflehead drakes in various stages of preening

Bufflehead Drake

Northern Cardinal Singing in the sun

Brown-headed Cowbirds

Great Blue Heron

Beaver feeding at the shoreline of Jenney Pond

Approximately a year ago at Plymouth Pilgrim State Park we had a canvasback way out in the bay. This year the canvasback was feeding right around the Mayflower II. At one point I was hoping to get it in the reflection of the Mayflower, however, it was halfway into the reflection when the canvasback dove and then came up in the blue water rather in the brownish reflection.

Canvasback half and half

Canvasback

 It was a great morning and now we are preparing far the winter storm that is supposed to occur tomorrow. However by the weekend the temperatures post arise and probably all the snow will be gone by then. Remember this is New England and the weather changes very frequently. It is interesting this year I was warmer in Alberta Canada than the temperature was back home in Massachusetts. Remember spring is here and enjoy the change of season and the beginning of new life.

Here is an interesting hybrid, a american black duck and a gadwall. this duck was swimming with an american black duck

Hybrid Duck

Eastern Screech Owl and Canvasback Ducks

Eastern Screech Owl-Red Phase

It is Thursday and another day birding with Doug. Our plans today initially was to travel to Plymouth in order hopefully to see and photograph the Canvasback duck that has been seen in Plymouth harbor. I have seen canvasback ducks in the past, but the last time I had photographs one of them was over 30 years ago. However, a plans got changed when last night nice lady, Linda, who had met a week or so ago while I was photographing at Jenney pond in Plymouth and who is a birder, called me and told me a boat a red-faced screech owl at Sagamore Beach. It was at a house that used to live in and was visiting and found that at the end of the driveway and she hoped I could have a chance to go down and see and photograph it. So, rather than starting out in Plymouth we travel down to Sagamore Beach to the location and then a hole in a tree right at the side of the driveway and after me doing a screech owl call, the screech owl appeared in the whole and watched us and I was able to get some nice photographs of it.

Eastern Screech Owl-Red Phase

We then traveled to visit the Cape Cod Canal, with a tide was extremely high and mainly the usual birds were present but no alcids were there. We finally ended up at Plymouth harbor and found the canvasback's out on the water and I was able to take some photographs, not the best because of the distance, but it does show both the male and female canvasback flapping their wings.

Canvasback-male

Canvasback-female

Right now, at home we are preparing for the blizzard that is coming and hopefully we will not lose power, but we have enough food to sustain us until it's all over.