This morning, the ducks at the marsh were quite active, especially in the area between the little pond below the sewage lagoons and the dead trees where the Wood Ducks often congregate. I noticed young families swimming about, ducks preening, ducks bathing - I could hear the splashing from some distance away - and ducks feeding, as was this Green-winged Teal. The teals and most of the ducks on the marsh are what are called dabbling ducks, that is they tip up to feed off the bottom. (I get a kick out of watching them eat this way. Sometimes it looks like water ballet when a group are feeding together.) The Ring-necked Ducks, the Mergansers and Ruddy Ducks that occasionally visit the marsh, and the Buffleheads that are present in the spring, are diving ducks. They dive completely underwater to feed.
No comments:
Post a Comment