Friday Feathered Feature

Lesser Scaup

Lesser Scaup

Looking into research on Lesser Scaup, I came across numerous articles about diet, lipid stores, and reproductive output. All highly cited, and most published within the last twenty years. As it turns out, Scaup remain a bit of a mystery, despite all of this research.

Photo by Mick Thompson

High Counts of Waterfowl at Goose Pond

High Counts of Waterfowl at Goose Pond

We thought it would be interesting to look at the high counts for the 36 species of waterfowl (ducks, geese, and swans) on our Goose Pond bird list. There have been 3,500 checklists from Goose Pond entered on eBird, and about 1 in a 100 checklists included a high count of waterfowl.

Photo by Monica Hall

Wood Duck

Wood Duck

The Wood Duck is one of the great conservation success stories in the United States. By the turn of the 20th century, market hunting and habitat destruction saw the Wood Duck on the brink of extinction. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 came just in the nick of time.

Photo by Jim Hudgins / USFWS

Northern Shoveler

Northern Shoveler

The Northern Shoveler’s common name, nickname (spoonbill or spoony), and scientific name (Spatula clypeata) all reference the most distinctive feature of this odd duck. Spatula, Latin for “spoon” combines with clypeata meaning shield bearing.

Photo by Arlene Koziol

Gadwall

Gadwall

When you resemble one of the most common waterfowl species in North America, sometimes it's hard to stand out. Noting subtle differences and a careful eye, one can fairly easily pick a Gadwall out of a lineup of Mallards. If you see a group, make sure to be on the lookout.

Photo by Mick Thompson