Stoney Creek (Wintergreen) 3/12/2011


It was supposed to be sunny and warm today, but when I got up it was overcast, and the water in our bird bath was frozen. I looked out back, and saw some ducks in the pond behind our house (Sawmill Creek pond # 5). Even though I was not fully dressed, I grabbed my camera and put on a coat. There were three Hooded Mergansers, a male and female Mallard, and a couple of Canada Geese.

As I approached the pond, the Hooded Mergansers flew away. This spooked the Mallards and they took off as well. Meanwhile the Canada geese just watched in amazement and looked as though they were wondering what all the fuss was about.


Hooded Mergansers


Hooded Merganser


Hooded Mergansers


Female Mallard


Male Mallard

I went back inside and soon got a phone call from my neighbor Frits - there were Common Mergansers on Lake Monocan. I hurried down there and sure enough, a male and a female Common Merganser were on the lake. My Wintergreen area species #165 out of the 221 species reported here. These ducks must have had a hard night as they were both asleep. As I walked out on the dock to get closer, the female lifted her head to get a quick look at me, and then went back to sleep. After a few minutes of my photographing their bodies with their heads tucked in, I was getting cold so I let out a loud "Quack!" They briefly lifted their heads and then went back to sleep. I don't usually like to disturb birds, but as this species was a new lifer for me . . .


Common Mergansers


Common Mergansers


Common Mergansers

I then looked around and there were four Hooded Mergansers and a Pied Billed Grebe. Something spooked the Hooded Mergansers and they took off. A few minutes later the Common Mergansers had drifted in their sleep to the other end of the pond, woke up, and did some diving for breakfast.


Hooded Mergansers


Hooded Mergansers


Common Mergansers

Time to check out some more of the ponds. I went to Sawmill Creek pond #6, and the four Hooded Mergansers were there. I then headed over to the Hidden Creek pond, and there were at least a dozen Wood Ducks.


Wood Duck


Wood Ducks

My morning duck hunt ended at the pond by the WPOA pool and tennis courts when I dropped my car keys between the seat and console and couldn't find them. My cell phone was out of charge, and I had to hike and knock on doors before I found someone home who let me use her phone to call Alice to come and rescue me. I plan on going out again this afternoon to see if there are more ducks.

Went to some of the other ponds this afternoon, but did not see any new ducks. However, the sun was out, it was 65 degrees, and the Common Mergansers and two Pied-billed Grebes were on Lake Monocan. The good sunlight made for much better photos.


Common Mergansers


Female Common Merganser


Female Common Merganser


Male Common Merganser


Female Common Merganser


Male Common Merganser


Female Common Merganser


Male Common Merganser


Pied-billed Grebe


Pied-billed Grebe



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