Saturday, March 3, 2012

Long-tailed Duck/Camera Critters

 Up for air

Hunting for tasty nibbles, this long-tailed female - a medium-sized diving duck - kept breaking through the harbour ice on Lake Ontario. Here she had just come up for air, swam around for a bit and then...

About to go down again

headed back down. She could hold her breath for quite a long time and I could never be sure where she was until ishe came up through the ice again.

She was wintering here but will soon head back to the Arctic where long-tailed ducks breed.

FYI: It's the males that have the long tails.

To join in the fun, visit Misty Dawn at CAMERA CRITTERS 

31 comments:

Kate said...

A beautiful addition to Camera Critters today!

Jill said...

She's a beauty!

eileeninmd said...

One of my favorite ducks, beautiful captures!

Ruth Hiebert said...

That water must be sooo cold,yet it doesn't seem to bother these birds.

Kathy said...

I'm beginning to really like ducks from all the bloggers who post beautiful pictures of them, but I am very ignorant of duckland! This lady is very stately and beautiful.

Indrani said...

Lovely! Quite a drama breaking through ice sheets.

cieldequimper said...

Hello pretty face!

Davidlind said...

A very tough duck! I had never seen this one before now.

TexWisGirl said...

she's a beauty. thanks for explaining the males carry the namesake. :)

My name is Riet said...

What a beautiful bird. Very interesting too.

NatureFootstep said...

what a beautiful gift! To be able to watch her up close. Great shots you shared. :)

John @ Beans and I on the Loose said...

Thanks for the FYI because I was beginning to wonder if this wasn't another one of those goofy names attached to a bird, like Purple Finch. I am still looking for the purple in these fellows who frequent our feeders.

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

That's interesting the duck on the thin ice.

Ruta said...

I bet that water is freezing!

Paul in Powell River said...

She's pretty, but the males are downright beautiful.

Anonymous said...

So pretty! (Looks cold though.)

FAB said...

A lovely specimen. I haven't seen this species yet this winter.

Patti said...

Interesting post and great captures. Quack! Quack!

I didn't know they were from the Arctic.

Tatjana Parkacheva said...

Very nice photos.

Regards and best wishes

Unknown said...

Nice capture!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

Brian King said...

What a beautiful duck! Nicely done!

Lowell said...

I'm glad you clarified that tail business, because I was going to complain that this ducky did not have a long tail. But I would have done it quietly 'cause I wouldn't want to hurt her feelings about not having a long tail.

Cute critter!

Stephanie said...

Ditto to all the comments here.

Anonymous said...

What a pretty duck!

Gillian Olson said...

Great shots, I really like the little white rump, very pretty duck.

SquirrelQueen said...

She is a lovely girl and hard working too from the looks of it.

Randy said...

What great coloring.

Phil Slade said...

Long-tailed Ducks are one of my favourites too. Your photo does them justice.

Darla said...

Intrepid duck!

Darla

Larry D said...

Great captures!

Susan said...

WOW, great photos!

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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.