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The ducks on the lake go round and round
Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 3:25 pm
by reible
On today's walk we came upon these feeding ducks. I can not say I have ever seen the etiquette of eating as you circle from ducks but that seemed to be how it is done for this batch.
https://youtu.be/_yKqPBhre9w
Ed
Re: The ducks on the lake go round and round
Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 3:36 pm
by algale
Reminds me of that children's toy -- a paddle with a circle of wooden birds on it. A central weight tied to each bird head; as the weight is swung around in a circle, each bird pecks in turn.
Re: The ducks on the lake go round and round
Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 3:51 pm
by rjent
I believe that is called a Duck Vortex ... not to be confused with the flu flu bird ...
Re: The ducks on the lake go round and round
Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 4:03 pm
by reible
In case you need to unwind after watching the first video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6YZLi1swos
Ed
Re: The ducks on the lake go round and round
Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 7:12 pm
by S Brian
Just so you all know what you are looking at, the ducks are Northern Shovelers, drakes and hens.
Re: The ducks on the lake go round and round
Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 7:19 pm
by reible
S Brian wrote:Just so you all know what you are looking at, the ducks are Northern Shovelers, drakes and hens.
Yes, I guess I should have said that. We don't see them here much so I had to look them up to make sure I wasn't mistaking them for something else.
Now I wish I had done a couple of regular photo and not just movies. Oh well.
It was a pleasure to watch them and with the long zoom lens it was even more fun.
Ed
Re: The ducks on the lake go round and round
Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 4:16 pm
by rcoder
Shovelers have serrations on the side of their bills that as they nibble at the water and close up their bills the water goes out between the serrations and the "good stuff" goes down into the crop. They also are churning the water with their feet which bring more stuff up from lower for feeding. Interesting group behavior and cooperation. Here in the southwest we use evaporating ponds as part of our waste water treatment. Shovelers love that stuff. I used to hunt ducks our here but after watching "nevermore".
Re: The ducks on the lake go round and round
Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 7:15 pm
by S Brian
rcoder - Waste water treatment ponds are magnets for ducks, grebes, phalaropes, gulls, shorebirds, wading birds and even song birds, no matter where you live. We birdwatchers visit these ponds often, to see what may be feeding at the ponds.
Re: The ducks on the lake go round and round
Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 3:56 pm
by rcoder
I do a lot of birding here in Willcox and visit our pond as well as Sunsites, Benson, Bowie etc. Our Sandhill Cranes are in the valley and are fun to watch. As a retired Biology teacher I also have been know to guide birding tours into our Chiricahua and Dragoon Mts. If you need to add to your list come and see us.
Bob
Re: The ducks on the lake go round and round
Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 4:13 pm
by reible
rcoder wrote:I do a lot of birding here in Willcox and visit our pond as well as Sunsites, Benson, Bowie etc. Our Sandhill Cranes are in the valley and are fun to watch. As a retired Biology teacher I also have been know to guide birding tours into our Chiricahua and Dragoon Mts. If you need to add to your list come and see us.
Bob
You don't have a location in your header so would that be AZ?
Ed