Tag: waterfowl

A Mess of Mergansers

Winter is prime birdwatching season on our stretch of the Sammamish. The bald eagles are back from summering in the mountains. Cormorants flap their wings in dominance rituals on a small sand spit where a creek drains into the river. A snow goose slums with its Canada geese cousins. A great blue heron from the …

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Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2019/02/02/a-mess-of-mergansers/

Diving Crows?!?

We’re used to seeing ducks, cormorants, geese, eagles, and herons fishing in the river behind our home. Today I saw something completely different. I saw some ripples near the shore, indicative of some bird looking for lunch. What I was not expecting was to see a crow surface with a minnow in its beak. I …

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Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2018/12/08/diving-crows/

Otters!

We are thankful to have a home that overlooks a river and a park, particularly at this time of year. The bald eagles are back from summering in the mountains. Mergansers and cormorants also return. The herons, mallards, and Canada geese are here year round, although I’ve yet to see the snow goose that slums …

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Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2018/11/22/otters/

Goslings at Last

Last night we finally saw two gaggles of goslings with their parents in the back yard. One set of five were little peeps; the other set of five still had their fluff, but were acquiring a more adult body type. Perhaps nesting season is late this year.

Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2016/05/07/goslings-at-last/

Where Have All the Ducklings (and Goslings) Gone?

One of the attractions of our home is the Sammamish River that runs behind it. Many species of birds call the river home for at least part of the year. In previous springs the river has been a veritable nursery of young waterfowl. This year I’ve only seen one clutch of four mallard ducklings. The …

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Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2016/05/04/where-have-all-the-ducklings-and-goslings-gone/