Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Long-tailed Duck

 Long-tailed Duck (Clanguala hyemalis)

Usually these ducks return to the Arctic rather early in spring, but a few Long-tails are still in the vicinity, not yet ready to return to the Arctic. Last week, I spotted a few in two different harbours on Lake Ontario and could hear many gregarious males "talking" far out in the lake. It's a melodious sound that I enjoy hearing.

Foraging for mollusks, crustaceans and small fish

Over the past 20 years,  these sea ducks have become increasingly more abundant in Lake Ontario during winter perhaps due to climate change.

Heading out into the lake

I am connecting to Stewart M's Wild Bird Wednesday HERE

47 comments:

MICKAN from QUEENS FIELD¸.•°`♥✿⊱╮ said...

What a nice post!
A beautiful duck with the long tail.

BasiaW said...

A beautiful duck. I like it.

The Cranky said...

What a lovely duck, be a perfect model for a Mad Hatter's chapeau!

eileeninmd said...

They are gorgeous ducks, I love the male with the long tail. Great shots, have a happy day!

DeniseinVA said...

What a fascinating little duck. Great photos! I would enjoy seeing this little beauty.

Anvilcloud said...

I like reading about species that I have never seen.

Revrunner said...

Such an exotic-looking duck.

Michelle said...

A bit strange looking, but I like it.

jp@A Green Ridge said...

What a gorgeous duck!!!...:)JP

Kate said...

It really does have a distinctive tail.

Darla said...

I like that long tail. The "taking off" photo is great. You caught it at a perfect moment.

Darla

Debbie said...

oh, oh, oh....what an adorable duck. could that tail be any cuter?!

love those marking and the mostly white head....your take off shot is perfection!!!!!

John's Island said...

These are some neat photos. One of the things that fascinates me about birding is how they came up with names. This one is quite obvious. :-) Nice work, as always!

Halcyon said...

Oh wow! I've never seen a duck like that. His name is certainly apt. :)

MadSnapper said...

I love that 'we have lift off" shot.. beautiful ducks, i like those markings and that is one long tail...

Small City Scenes said...

Interesting bird. I wonder what's the object of the long tail. Looks nice though.
MB

TexWisGirl said...

just fabulous looking and he knows it!

Birdman said...

That's a funny-looking quack.

Mary Hone said...

Wow, I have never seen, nor heard of one of those.

William Kendall said...

Quite a duck!

RedPat said...

That's a new one for me!

21 Wits said...

Oh quack, quack how adorable! Quirky cute.

Stephanie said...

Love the long tail and the white cap head. Interesting bird!

Susan said...

Wow, learn something new everyday. I have never seen a duck like that.

Giga said...

Enjoy the view as long as possible, because they are beautiful. Regards.

Cloudia said...

an amazing duck! And your final shot rocks




ALOHA from Honolulu,
ComfortSpiral
=^..^=

Rose said...

What a different tail it does have! Certainly explains the name. I went to All About Birds to listen...what they had was sure a different type of sound.

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

WOW! A wonderful close up of the LT duck.

Ginny Hartzler said...

I have never seen such a duck. Now I will keep my eyes open for it. Your taking off photo is wonderful!!!

Linda W. said...

I've never seen a duck like this before! Thanks for sharing your pics.

VP said...

Looking at the first photo I was almost sure it was a dog... Surprise!

Unknown said...

I have never seen such a duck. It's gorgeous!

mick said...

Great photos and very beautiful coloring on those ducks.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

WhAt a lovely duck . That skimming shot is beautiful...he has a unique wing spread. Lovely pics.

Karen said...

Oh cool! I've never seen one. Great shots.

Ruth Hiebert said...

Beautiful images. A few years back there was a report of a Long-tailed Duck less than half a mile from my home,but it was gone before I ever saw it. :(

Randy said...

What a cutie.

Jack said...

Those tails might be long, but they are also quite skinny.

GreenComotion said...

Very lovely and distinct bird! Nice captures, Tina!!
Have a Beautiful Day!
Peace :)

A Colorful World said...

They are beautiful ducks...great shots!

Su-sieee! Mac said...

Handsome ducks! I'm used to seeing mallards that I think that's all the kind of ducks there are. I really ought to go check out the wild refuge to the east of us and see what kind of ducks and other birds are about.

Adam Jones said...

Having seen my first one earlier this year, this is fast becoming one of my favourite ducks. Wonderful pictures.

Mary Howell Cromer said...

Absolutely Gorgeous bird. I am thinking that BirdKY alerted us to one of this species here a couple of days this past Winter. Roads were too bad for me to get out and see it though!

Donna said...

A very handsome duck...I love the tail and coloring.

Lowell said...

I never seen this duck before...cute as a duck!

Anonymous said...

That is an impressive long tail feather.

Jeevan said...

That’s cute duck with long tail. These days’ things are become very abnormal

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East Gwillimbury is a rural town less than an hour north of Toronto, Canada's largest city. My family calls me CameraGirl because I take my camera with me wherever I go.