Whitaker Ponds Nature Park II
I made a quick visit to Whitaker Ponds yesterday morning since it is so close to home. The park was foggy, but there were plenty of birds to see.
One in particular, with a lovely song, that I have only encountered by sound this year until now. Their classic conk-la-ree! song reminds me of summer days in the South though they are common all across North America. Walking around the pond, I finally laid eyes on the beautiful Red-winged Blackbird, perched as it was on a not-so-beautiful piece of industrial machinery:
I also came across an unfamiliar species swimming in the pond:
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- Thanks for standing still! (Ring-neck in the background)
These lovely ladies are Common Mergansers; large diving ducks with orange-red bills, chestnut-colored heads with a white chin and neck (which distinguishes them from the Red-breasted Merganser).
Other cool sightings:
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- Brown Creeper
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- Puffed up Northern Flicker
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- Downy Woodpecker
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- Bald Eagle (fanning its wings?)
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- Common Goldeneye
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- Gadwall – I recognized this species from the Audubon outting!
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- Golden-crowned Kinglet; look at that fiery head!
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- Golden-crowned Kinglet rear
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- Hooded Merganser
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- Red-tailed Hawk
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- Anna’s Hummingbird
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- Anna’s Hummingbird
And just for fun, a video of an Anna’s Hummingbird:
Enjoy!
Audrey