Daffy Duck

Northern Shoveler -- Colusa National Wildlife Refuge, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM, ISO: 640, f/5.6, 1/1600s

When ducks go bad . . .

Mmm . . . Worms

White-faced Ibis -- Colusa National Wildlife Refuge, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM, ISO: 1000, f/5.6, 1/2000s

The things some animals eat . . .

Do you ever wonder what a worm tastes like to a bird?  Do their minds give the same feedback to them that our minds give to prime rib or barbecue pork or does a worm just taste like a worm to them?  If they're not getting the prime rib experience, I sure hope worms are an acquired taste.  What a horrible existence to have to eat grubby old worms all day if all you taste is grubby old worms.

McWay Falls

McWay Falls, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, CA
Canon PowerShot SX40 HS

There are endless photographic opportunities in Big Sur.  McWay Falls is one of the most popular features for photographers on the coastline.  It's easy to understand why.

Photo selection inspired by Geogypsy's Foto Friday Fun 147, image #7374.

Duck Week: Cinnamon Teal

Cinnamon Teal -- Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS II, ISO: 500, f/5.6. 1/2000s

Cinnamon teals are always fun to spot.  They're small ducks, bigger than ruddy ducks and buffleheads but not by a whole lot.  I've found that they are tough to shoot for whatever reason.  Maybe another way to say that is that I don't have very many good shots of cinnamon teals.

One of the things I find surprising is that they have the same blue color in their wings that a blue-winged teal does.  I guess it's not too surprising if you look only at the female ducks.  It's tough for me to tell a lady blue-winged from a lady cinnamon teal.  I just assume if she's hanging out with a cinnamon drake she's a cinnamon teal and vice versa.

Cinnamon Teal -- Merced National Wildlife Refuge, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS II, ISO: 400, f/5.6, 1/2000s

Duck Week: Blue-winged Teal

Blue-winged Teal -- Arrowhead Marsh, Oakland, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS II, ISO: 400, f/5.6, 1/2000s

Well, it's not too much of a mystery how this bird got it's name, is it?

We don't see a lot of blue-winged teals in Alameda and Oakland.  I can generally count on a snall handful of sightings in a given year.  When they show up at the shoreline they tend to stick around for a few days.

I'm partial to the leopard patterns in their feathers.

Blue-Winged Teal -- Arrowhead Marsh, Oakland, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS II, ISO: 400, f/5.6, 1/2000s

Duck Week: Northern Pintail

Northern Pintail -- Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM, f/5.6, 1/1600s, ISO: 320

Northern Pintails are the best dressed ducks I know.  Their lines are sharp.  Their bills are polished.  There might be flashier ducks but none spiffier.

Northern Pintail -- Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM, f/5.6, 1/2000s, ISO: 500

Duck Week: Goldeneyes

Barrow's Goldeneye -- Oakland/Alameda Estuary, Alameda, CA
Canon Powershot SX40 HS

There are two types of goldeneye ducks that can be found in our area.  The less common of the two is the barrow's goldeneye.  This photo was from two winters ago.  I haven't see any since then.  That was a great year for birds in the estuary near my house.  Scores of surf scoters and dozens of scaup and goldeneye could be seen on any given day during the winter.  This year I might see a few scoters and a couple of scaup if I'm lucky.

Female Common Goldeneye -- Oakland/Alameda Estuary, Alameda, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM, f/5.6, 1/2000s, ISO: 800

I saw a lady goldeneye in the estuary on Sunday.  She was a common goldeneye swimming alone.  The easiest way to tell the female common goldeneye apart from the female barrow's goldeneye is by the color of their beaks.  With the males, it's the color of their heads and the shape of their white spots.  They're both beautiful birds but I'm a little partial to the barrow's variety.  I sure wish they'd come around more.

Male Common Goldeneye -- Martin Luther King, Jr. Regional Shoreline, Oakland, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM, f/5.6, 1/2000s, ISO: 500