Older Pictures of Ring-Necked Ducks

Lots of Ring-necked Ducks visit lakes and ponds in Cumberland County,  Tennessee in the Winter months.  I took these photographs in 2010.  The drakes are tuxedo-marked black and white.  The hens are a rich light brown and tan.  These ducks have a ring on their bills but also have a very faint white ring deep in the crease of their neck.  This neck ring is seldom visible.

The Ring-necked Ducks are diving ducks and eat lots of aquatic plants as well as some insects.  It was a lot of fun to duck-watch back when I lived on the small man-made fishing lake where I took these photographs.  It is one of the things I am missing here in Florida.  I have only rarely seen ducks here in Marion County and I have only seen small groups of ducks and no large flocks.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

Gorgeous Ducks

These Red-head Ducks were out on two lakes in the neighborhood where I used to live in Cumberland County, Tennessee.  I saw about twenty of these migratory diving ducks on one little lake and a much larger flock on a large lake in the same neighborhood.  These ducks are gorgeous!  The drakes (males) are white, black, and have a crimson-red neck and head.  They have a blue bill.  The hens are light-brown with a slightly darker-brown head.  Red-head Ducks are diving ducks that mostly eat aquatic plants.  These ducks are here for a few weeks and then will be heading back up North.

The Red-heads are similar to the larger Canvasback Ducks.  The main difference between these ducks is that the Canvasbacks have a more pointed bill and also a slightly pointed head. I was thrilled to see these ducks also on another larger lake in the same resort.  I took these pictures on March 4, 2013 from a lake-front parking area, and also from my lake home’s dock.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

A Young Wood Duck Flies

This older Wood Duck duckling was startled yesterday when I walked near the pond’s shoreline.  It was previously hiding in the rushes and reeds along the shore.  The little Wood Duck is likely a hen.  It was hatched here on the pond earlier this Summer.  The trio of these older ducklings have split up a bit now.

We had a lot of rain yesterday as we have been having the remnants of the former hurricane Isaac.  Just a lot of heavy downpours and a bit of wind.  It came in waves of rains all day.  I was out for a few minutes between rains.  The Wood Ducks are here all year-long and mainly spend their days between the pond and the nearby small private lake.  I took these pictures on Sept. 2, 2012 in my yard.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger photo.  Enjoy!

A Wood Duckling Learning to Fly

It seems like I surprise the Wood Ducks here on the pond a lot.  They are so skittish that whenever I approach the pond and they are on the same shoreline as I am, they flee.  The hen Wood Duck duckling was out with its mother and was startled by my presence.  The pair took off in a low “Touch and go” flight to the middle of the pond.  That actually is good practice for the duckling.  Soon it will be a very confident flier.  I took these pictures on July 4, 2012 in my yard.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

Drake Mallard Ducks

I was happy to see several drake Mallard Ducks here on the little pond this past week.  I took these pictures on April 15, 2012 and again on April 21, 2012 in my yard.  The drake or male Mallard Ducks have an emerald-green head, grayish-brown back, blue and white patches on the wings (especially seen when the duck is flying), orange feet, and a dark brown tail.  The bill is usually a greenish-yellow or also an orange-yellow in color.  They are quite social and tend to quack a lot at times.  They are larger than many other ducks.  There is a hen Ring-Necked Duck here that is infatuated with one of the drake Mallard Ducks.  They have both lived here for the past few months.  She had a Ring-Necked drake suitor who apparently did not stay with her.  She is in a couple of the pictures shown today.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

The Blue Winged Teal Ducks, Part 2 of 2

The Blue Winged Teal Ducks were here on the little farm pond for just a few minutes on April 2, 2012.  The trio of two drakes and a hen were just settling down on the water when a few local cattle decided to cool off by wading in the pond.  Off the ducks flew!  Now they are on the way back up North to their nesting grounds in Northern U.S. states and in Canada.  They like ponds, lakes, and slow shallow streams and marshes on rivers.  By the way, on Thursday afternoon, April 5, 2012, I saw seven of these Blue Winged Teal here on the pond.  So the original trio were the advance scouts for the small flock.  The other possibility is that the seven are a split-off group of a larger flock and the other ducks are out on the neighborhood community lake nearby.  I was glad to see them here!  Other than the one photo below dated 4/5/12, the other pictures were taken on 4/2/12.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

Photo taken on 4/5/12

The Fly-In, Part 1: Mallard Ducks

A pair of Mallard Ducks are residents here on the little farm pond.  These ducks come and go frequently between this pond and the small private community lake that is nearly across the street from my place here.  I was out with the camera this afternoon and saw the ducks flying around the pond to land at the quiet dam area.  The other area of the pond was occupied by several Canada Geese.  Ducks are especially quick in flight most of the time.  I was fortunate to be in a good spot to catch the action.  This is part 1 of 2 parts.  The second part will be tomorrow and will feature the Canada Geese.  Canada Geese are larger and are slower in flight so they are a bit easier to photograph while flying.  I took these pictures in my yard on March 18, 2012 at about 5:00 pm.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!