Waterfowl on a Beaver Pond

Snow geese kept me from checking the ice on two beaver ponds but several days later I was able to visit the ponds. One, although it had small patches of open water, was still almost completely ice covered. The other pond is much, much larger (probably about 25 acres) and, with the exception of a narrow strip in the shade of tall white pines, was unfrozen.

As I approached the large pond a large bright white object was visible. Closer still it became apparent that it was not one object, but rather a group of tundra swans. Amazingly they allowed a close approach and just continued with what they were doing –

In all there were over 100 Canada geese on the pond, some just single pairs and some in small groups –

And a variety of ducks: hooded mergansers –

Mallards and wood ducks –

Ring-necked ducks, also sometimes called ring-billed ducks. The ring on the bill is much more obvious than the ring on the neck –

There were also two male lesser scaup, often called bluebills –

Even though they were the furthest away of any of the birds, wood ducks - being wood ducks - suddenly flushed and flew off, followed by the mergansers and mallards. That was enough for the Canada geese and off they went, as did a few of the ring-necked ducks. Lastly the tundra swans took off –

And like most of the ducks circled and landed far across the pond –

Unfortunately I’d disturbed the birds, something I wanted to avoid and which probably wouldn’t have happened but for me getting too close to the wary and skittish wood ducks.