Black Bellied Whistling Ducks

Whistlers as these ducks are also known, are charming and beautiful wild ducks.  They have a blue bill and feet as ducklings which turn a vivid pink as adults.  Black Bellied Whistling ducks are a rich cinnamon brown with black and white feather accents.  They actually don’t quack but do emit a whistle sound to communicate.

These whistling ducks sit on the grassy shoreline quite a bit but do venture into the water from time to time and tip down into the shallow water to hunt for aquatic worms, insects, snails and aquatic plants.  They also eat seeds, grasses, fruits and terrestrial insects snails and worms they can find fairly close to the water’s edge.  Black Bellied Whistling ducks are both migratory and native here in Florida.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo.  Enjoy!

Black Bellied “Whistlers”

 

Black Bellied Whistling Ducks make their home at several local ponds and lakes here in The Villages, Florida.  These lovely brown and tan ducks with pink bills and feet are seen waddling around the grassy banks feeding on worms, grubs, and seeds.  These ducks also feed on aquatic insects, smaller tadpoles and some aquatic snails.

The “Whistlers” are similar to the Mallards and Mottled Ducks in their feeding habits.  They tip their heads into the water to find food in the shallows and mud.  I really enjoy seeing the ducks and hearing their whistles – they do not quack.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo.  Enjoy!

More Birds Arriving

Sandhill Cranes

The Winter migration is underway and more and more birds are arriving here in recent days.  This will continue through December or early January.  I have been seeing small flocks in the skies and on the shorelines of local lakes.  I also have included a photograph of some smaller freshwater turtles that happened to be sunning themselves on the shore of a local golf course pond.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.  Enjoy!

Canada Geese

Cooter Turtles

Adult White Ibis

 

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

Egyptian Geese

Mottled Ducks

Eufala National Wildlife Refuge Part 2 of 2

Great Egret

I was in Eufala, Alabama last week and visited the Lakepointe Resort State Park Campground and Eufala National Wildlife Refuge.  Here are some more photographs I took during this visit.  I loved spotting Kildeer, a lone male Northern Cardinal, a pair of Gadwall ducks, a flock of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, a Northern Mockingbird, and several Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons.  It was a fun visit!  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo.  Enjoy!

Northern Mockingbird

Gadwall Ducks

Male Northern Cardinal

 

Great Blue Heron

Great Egret with State Park Resort Hotel in the Background

Flock of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks in Flight

Eufala National Wildlife Refuge, Alabama

Red-head Woodpecker

We escaped what we had feared would be a hit from Hurricane Dorian and thankfully was not.  We went North to Alabama and camped at the lovely Lakepointe Resort State Park campground in Eufala, Alabama.  The Eufala National Wildlife Refuge is about 3 miles from this campground so we visited the refuge several times.

We did not see many animals or birds but I think it may be that the action really happens in the Winter months.  We did see a juvenile White Ibis, some wonderful Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, a few Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, a family of wild piglets with their mother (too fast to catch with my camera as they sprinted across the road) and a few really large American Alligators.  We saw the woodpecker at the campground and some of the alligators and the vultures, at the state park’s marina area.

This refuge is on Lake George which is an enormous lake bordering between Alabama and Georgia.  I was glad we came home to no damage and no drama.  I am praying for those in The Bahamas who were in the most catastrophic part of the storm and received a lot of major damage.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.  Enjoy!

Hen Common Moorhen

American Alligator

Scenic View of Some of the Eufala National Wildlife Refuge on Lake George

 

Juvenile White Ibis

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks and Ducklings

Black Vultures

Wordless Wednesday: Black Bellied Whistling Ducks

Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.  Enjoy!

Bird Watching at Dusk

Whistling Ducks, a Glossy Ibis, and Mallard Ducks

Newly hatched Canada goslings, Snowy Egret, Great Egret, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, Mallard Ducks, a Glossy Ibis, an Anhinga, and a tree full of Great Blue Herons were all spotted here in The Villages during the past two evenings at twilight.

Please click on the thumbnail image to see the very slightly larger version of the picture.  Wishing everyone who celebrates, a happy Passover, and a most happy Easter!

Great Egret and Anhinga

Great Egret Roosting

Newly Hatched Canada Goslings

 

Snowy Egret

Great Blue Heron Rookery

Great Blue Heron Rookery

Nearly Wordless Wednesday: Wistlers & Wood Storks

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

I took these photographs this morning at three ponds here in The Villages, FL.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo.  Enjoy!  P.S. The White Pelicans are here now in big numbers!

Wood Stork

Almost Wordless Wednesday: Whistling Ducks

I spotted these Black-bellied Whistling Ducks here in The Villages, FL, on Monday afternoon.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.  Enjoy!

Whistlers on Wednesday: Paradise Lake

I spotted this cute pair of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks at Schwartz Park on Lake Paradise in The Villages, Fl last evening at about 6:00pm.  I spotted the two ducks waddling down the slope of a lake-front back yard to the lake to sip some water and then slowly waddle back up that same yard to the shrubbery.  I am thinking the pair are nesting in the bushes.  I always enjoy seeing these cute brown and pink ducks!  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo.  Enjoy!