Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

[Harryb]

Hi you'll

Last year one of the big events at the Wetlands were a pair of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks who hatched 10 ducklings
http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/17018021-L.jpg

Unfortunately by the end of the season only one parent duck and one duckling survived. The biggest danger to them was not the gators (who got one of the parents) or the egrets or herons but photographers. Every time the family came to shore to feed and rest they were met by a group of "photographers" rushing towards them with their P&Ss to grab a shot. They had virtually no rest during the daylight hours.

I was speaking to the envionmental honcho of the Wetlands who told me if they came back this year he would close off the cell (pond) of the ducks if they had ducklings. Well they are back, this time at least 6 pairs and hopefully there will be a higher survivor rate if they hatch any ducklings
http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/23783063-L.jpg

http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/23783065-L.jpg

http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/23783064-L.jpg

[jwear]

all great Harry but that last one :thumb :clap :thumb is something --wow

[ginger_55]

Hey, Harry. I LOVE those last two shots!

Were you all rushing them?:rofl

I didn't think there were that many photographers where you go in the wetlands. When do they appear, the paparazzi?

I don't see that many where I go. But I go late (ish). I think birders are uh, early birds.

g

[ginger_55]

I think that last one should be matted and framed and shown at a wildlife show.

g (If I could just afford it, I would, it is on my list of things, but framing is a bit over the top, in the manner of which I speak. I would really show that photo off, it is gorgeous, and different, everyone is out there shooting egrets. I have been working up some from the past.) A night heron, too.

But I don't have any of those things, and that is a gorgeous reflection, composition, etc.

[MuskyDude]

Just wow, Harry. :clap

Just shows once again that nature has limits. :nod Thanks for sharing the information, and stunning shots. I've never seen ducks like that before. :thumb


AJ

[Ann McRae]

Superb! Cool story, good biology lesson for us all, finished by a piece fo art!
The last is outstanding, and I agree with ginger - it should be framed and sold.

ann

[Ric Grupe]

Great, Harry. :thumb


I really enjoyed these. When you think you have seen everything....just wait for H.B.'s next post!!!:clap

[Steve Cavigliano]

A very nice set Harry :thumb :thumb


That last one is mint :clap

Sad story about the ducklings :cry I am amazed that it wasn't because of the gators, herons or egrets :dunno I watched 4 Night Herons decimate a brood of ducklings at the Baylands, and it almost made me ill :rolleyes I am amazed that any of these little guys make it to adulthood :uhoh

Steve

[Harryb]

all great Harry but that last one :thumb :clap :thumb is something --wow
Thanks Jeff for your comments. I appreciate you taking the time to reply.

[Yuri Pautov]

Harry!
What a charming serial of photos!
These pairs look so touching...
Spasibo,
Yuri

[Harryb]

Hey Ginger,

Glad you liked the shots. I'm pretty happy with the last one and it will be one of my pics in the running for wall space. Our house is just about completely decorated and our designer wants to fill at least one wall with my pics. We just have to decide which pics go on up.

I was not one of the fools rushing up to the ducks. Normally when I go out to the Wetlands I'm alone except for other nature shooters or birders. The highest number of visitors to the wetlands in one day so far has been 45 folks. When the ducklings were hatched word go out unfortunately and folks broke out their P&S with the 3x zoom and came out. The only way they could get a shot was to get in close. This meant they had to rush up to the shore and click away as the family rushed away to deeper water. It was not unusal to see 6-8 individuals on the road waiting for the ducks to come in to feed and when they did the fools would come running up and the ducks paddled away frantically.

[Harryb]

Just wow, Harry. :clap

Just shows once again that nature has limits. :nod Thanks for sharing the information, and stunning shots. I've never seen ducks like that before. :thumb


AJ
Thanks AJ. The first time I saw them I didn't know what the heck they were. Thats why I bought Sibley's book. I go out see something, take a pic and say "what the heck is that"? Then I go home and find out what I shot.

[Seamus]

Hey Harry, 2 & 4 are special :clap , and a good story to go with it. I didn't know that egrets fed on other birds. I see so few birds of prey here that I tend to discount them. All of the birds I see survive on grubs and worms.


I'm keeping an eye on the local ducks and swans but there's no sign of any chicks yet.

Again, great series and definitely fit for the wall,

Seamus.

[Harryb]

Superb! Cool story, good biology lesson for us all, finished by a piece fo art!
The last is outstanding, and I agree with ginger - it should be framed and sold.

ann
Thank you very much Ann

[Harryb]

Great, Harry. :thumb


I really enjoyed these. When you think you have seen everything....just wait for H.B.'s next post!!!:clap
Thanks Ric. I'm very lucky to have the variety of wldlife that I do to shoot.

[ehughes]

Awesome shots Harry, that last one is fantastic:thumb

Ed

[Harryb]

A very nice set Harry :thumb :thumb


That last one is mint :clap

Sad story about the ducklings :cry I am amazed that it wasn't because of the gators, herons or egrets :dunno I watched 4 Night Herons decimate a brood of ducklings at the Baylands, and it almost made me ill :rolleyes I am amazed that any of these little guys make it to adulthood :uhoh

Steve
Thanks Steve. I'm sure that the local predators finished off most of the ducklings and I know a gator got the one parent but that was also due to the ducks being chased out of their cover of the plants by the shore by the snapshooters. The environmental honcho for the Wetlands was a tad upset by it and has vowed to prevent it from happening again.

[bfjr]

Second to last one for me Boss :thumb
Never seen one, thanks for posting them :clap

Oh, did you ever get that confusion problem solved :lol4 :D :hide ??

[Harryb]

Harry!
What a charming serial of photos!
These pairs look so touching...
Spasibo,
Yuri
Priviet, Yuri,

Always great gearing from you. Thank you for the kind words.

[Rufio220]

those are nice. i like the first last best, but wow. :clap

[Harryb]

Hey Harry, 2 & 4 are special :clap , and a good story to go with it. I didn't know that egrets fed on other birds. I see so few birds of prey here that I tend to discount them. All of the birds I see survive on grubs and worms.


I'm keeping an eye on the local ducks and swans but there's no sign of any chicks yet.

Again, great series and definitely fit for the wall,

Seamus.
Hey Seamus,

They will eat anything they can swallow, pretty much like Andy. :rofl
Thanks.

[Harryb]

Awesome shots Harry, that last one is fantastichttp://dgrin.com/images/smilies/thumb.gif

Edthank you very much Ed. http://dgrin.com/images/smilies/wave.gif

[BigAl]

Great series on a bird in danger. :thumb

regards
alan

[Harryb]

Second to last one for me Boss http://dgrin.com/images/smilies/thumb.gif
Never seen one, thanks for posting them http://dgrin.com/images/smilies/clap.gif

Oh, did you ever get that confusion problem solved http://dgrin.com/images/smilies/roflol.gif http://dgrin.com/images/smilies/icon10.gif http://dgrin.com/images/smilies/peepwall.gif ??Thanks Ben,

I'm glad that you got to see something new. AS for that confusion problem, there's no resolution yet. The problem is that all you west coast dudes look alike. http://dgrin.com/images/smilies/roflol.gif

[Harryb]

those are nice. i like the first last best, but wow. :clap
Thank you very much Rufio

[Harryb]

Great series on a bird in danger. :thumb

regards
alan
Thanks Alan

[Angelo]

fantastic shots Harry and I'm happy to see that you take a pro-active part in protecting the habitat. good job :thumb

[Harryb]

fantastic shots Harry and I'm happy to see that you take a pro-active part in protecting the habitat. good job :thumb
Hey Angelo,

Great hearing from ya. Thanks for the kind comments.

[bfjr]

Thanks Ben,

I'm glad that you got to see something new. AS for that confusion problem, there's no resolution yet. The problem is that all you west coast dudes look alike. http://dgrin.com/images/smilies/roflol.gif
Yeah I bet it is
Especially when your 3/4 down on that bottle of "Ripple" and "7Up" or better know as "Champipple" :lol4 :1drink

[Harryb]

Yeah I bet it is
Especially when your 3/4 down on that bottle of "Ripple" and "7Up" or better know as "Champipple" :lol4 :1drink
please!!!!
http://www.pbase.com/hpb/image/28575784.jpg