Extremely hard to argue against. I struggle to think of a way ducks do anything other than help one's mental health, it's all they do. Thank you as always for reading!
I've only once seen a common eider, and I didn't even realise it until i edited the photo. It was a female sleeping in the middle of a Belgian beach. With it being totally brown, and my brain desensitised to urban ducks, as they are almost always Mallards here, I couldn't tell. I wish I was more excited then!
James, I check in at the Cornell lab live bird feeders several times a day and have identified 19 different species so far, but one bird eludes me. I have searched through many references and cant find him. Would you be willing to hear a description of him to see if you know what he is?
No photo. Exactly the same size and shape of a sparrow. Solid soft gray-brown all over ( like a mouse). Very faint yellowish chin. Short sparrow-y beak. Striking, distinct black and white bars across the wings tips ( seen closed on its back). I would guess a kind of sparrow, but can't find one with these distinct ( 2 black and 2 white?) wing stripes. I haven't pinned down the beak and feet color.
I see these little birds nearly every day on the web cam in Ithaca, NY (Cornell Labs) They hang out with house sparrows, chickadees, tufted titmice, nuthatches, 3 types of woodpeckers, etc. Big birds, too - jays, cardinals, doves.
I really enjoy the photographs of the Eiders where the patterns on the water are quite pronounced. I wonder where I will be, when I begin to see more/different ducks. I have a lot of duck expansion ahead of me.
Thank you Emma. Great thing about ducks is they are everywhere. My best Ruddy and Cinnamon Teal encounters were in Arizona. Northern Shoveler and Barrows Goldeneye back east. Wood Duck all over. Blue winged Teal in the southeast. They’ll find you wherever you look.
I took a shorter trip to see Mergansers and Mute Swans, saw them, and also a mature and a juvenile Bald Eagle. All quite distant. I'm going to trade up my Nikon Prostaff 7S glasses for Vortex Razor 8x42s, I think. I can see better through my camera's Zoom lens!
Awesome birds! Those vortex are nice, I’m a vortex user but crossfires. Your lens probably has great magnification. I believe 50mm focal reach = 1x magnification, so 8x binoculars = 400mm lens
James, you might enjoy “The Evolution of Beauty” by Richard Prum. It’s quite possible that the amazing beauty of birds evolved because birds are also connoisseurs of beauty. Lovely gallery of ducks too!
Thank you, Kelly. That book is fantastic—when I first wrote about the beauty of gulls it felt relevant so I grabbed a copy. Glad you enjoyed all of the ducks!
We don’t have common eiders here (at least not that I’ve seen yet). What amazing pictures you have gotten of them. The first one of the wave crashing and the dauntless eider swimming directly into it is incredible, and a perfect image of the word dauntless (which is one I love).
Beautiful post, James. I haven't seen Eiders and really enjoyed your field guide to them. Avian flu is really concerning and even though it's hard to see the devastating toll, it's important for all of us to be aware of it.
Common Eider is another duck species that I have not seen before. Very unique-looking bird for sure. That's interesting too about the ability to live in a rough habitat and the suffering of more broken bones.
Reminds me of my perennial favourite the Cooper's Hawk and the multiple fractures from chasing prey into trees and hedges.
Awesome series of photos James. I really like the set with the Ospreys and the Herring Gull. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Neil. I'd never drawn the parallel between the rough rocky shoreline ducks like Harlequins, eider and Cooper's Hawks. Seems the intensity required of birds can come at a cost. Thank you for reading.
Someone asked me today..."name one thing that helps your mental health". I didn't pause for a moment. My answer... "DUCKS".
Extremely hard to argue against. I struggle to think of a way ducks do anything other than help one's mental health, it's all they do. Thank you as always for reading!
I've only once seen a common eider, and I didn't even realise it until i edited the photo. It was a female sleeping in the middle of a Belgian beach. With it being totally brown, and my brain desensitised to urban ducks, as they are almost always Mallards here, I couldn't tell. I wish I was more excited then!
A very exciting encounter! Always great when a bird surprises you
James, I check in at the Cornell lab live bird feeders several times a day and have identified 19 different species so far, but one bird eludes me. I have searched through many references and cant find him. Would you be willing to hear a description of him to see if you know what he is?
Absolutely, Sharron! Do you also happen to have a photo?
No photo. Exactly the same size and shape of a sparrow. Solid soft gray-brown all over ( like a mouse). Very faint yellowish chin. Short sparrow-y beak. Striking, distinct black and white bars across the wings tips ( seen closed on its back). I would guess a kind of sparrow, but can't find one with these distinct ( 2 black and 2 white?) wing stripes. I haven't pinned down the beak and feet color.
I've got a few ideas but don't want to take a guess just yet. This was recent? Jan/Feb? And where was this sighting or was this on a bird cam?
I see these little birds nearly every day on the web cam in Ithaca, NY (Cornell Labs) They hang out with house sparrows, chickadees, tufted titmice, nuthatches, 3 types of woodpeckers, etc. Big birds, too - jays, cardinals, doves.
I really enjoy the photographs of the Eiders where the patterns on the water are quite pronounced. I wonder where I will be, when I begin to see more/different ducks. I have a lot of duck expansion ahead of me.
Thank you Emma. Great thing about ducks is they are everywhere. My best Ruddy and Cinnamon Teal encounters were in Arizona. Northern Shoveler and Barrows Goldeneye back east. Wood Duck all over. Blue winged Teal in the southeast. They’ll find you wherever you look.
This is good news. I just need to open my eyes more.
Whatta photo!!
Thank you!
eBird says there are Eiders about 90 minutes away from me. Sunday morning trip, I think.
Absolutely worth the trip. And being “Common” Eider they probably won’t be no-shows. Happy birding.
I took a shorter trip to see Mergansers and Mute Swans, saw them, and also a mature and a juvenile Bald Eagle. All quite distant. I'm going to trade up my Nikon Prostaff 7S glasses for Vortex Razor 8x42s, I think. I can see better through my camera's Zoom lens!
Awesome birds! Those vortex are nice, I’m a vortex user but crossfires. Your lens probably has great magnification. I believe 50mm focal reach = 1x magnification, so 8x binoculars = 400mm lens
James, you might enjoy “The Evolution of Beauty” by Richard Prum. It’s quite possible that the amazing beauty of birds evolved because birds are also connoisseurs of beauty. Lovely gallery of ducks too!
Thank you, Kelly. That book is fantastic—when I first wrote about the beauty of gulls it felt relevant so I grabbed a copy. Glad you enjoyed all of the ducks!
Pretty Birds. Dodobbird.pixels.com (art )
Thank you for sharing!
We don’t have common eiders here (at least not that I’ve seen yet). What amazing pictures you have gotten of them. The first one of the wave crashing and the dauntless eider swimming directly into it is incredible, and a perfect image of the word dauntless (which is one I love).
I thought of you when I used dauntless! Thank you Teyani. The ducks definitely played along for the photos
Beautiful post, James. I haven't seen Eiders and really enjoyed your field guide to them. Avian flu is really concerning and even though it's hard to see the devastating toll, it's important for all of us to be aware of it.
Thank you Heidi. Yes it is unfortunate to see the toll of the flu but very important to know about and follow.
Common Eiders are beautiful! Yes, I'm basic. I love Buffleheads.
Not basic! Bufflehead are so easy to love for great reasons.
Lovely photos. Eiders are great ducks, we have them here in Scotland too. I love their call as well as their plumage.
Very sad to see the dead ducks. There still seems to be a lot of avian flu about.
Thank you Juliet. They do have a great call. There were so many dead ducks it was very sad, I believe it was avian flu
What great photos, James! Thank you for improving my education about these lovely creatures.
Thank you Sharron! I’m glad you enjoyed
lovely photos but it was so sad to see the dead ducks
Thank you Kollibri, it is sad walking past so many dead ducks while looking for live ducks.
Actually now I'm remembering that someone else did and you posted a link to it.
I have not but yes I did link to a great article about it!
Have you written about bird flu yet?
Wonderful photos. I enjoyed your post.
I am glad to hear that Randy, thank you.
Common Eider is another duck species that I have not seen before. Very unique-looking bird for sure. That's interesting too about the ability to live in a rough habitat and the suffering of more broken bones.
Reminds me of my perennial favourite the Cooper's Hawk and the multiple fractures from chasing prey into trees and hedges.
Awesome series of photos James. I really like the set with the Ospreys and the Herring Gull. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Neil. I'd never drawn the parallel between the rough rocky shoreline ducks like Harlequins, eider and Cooper's Hawks. Seems the intensity required of birds can come at a cost. Thank you for reading.