BIRDQUEST2004

The Great Black-backed Gull is our largest Gull in the ABA, unmistakable in a crowd. Huge bill, large size, black back and pink legs can help in identifying this gull.
It goes through 4 changes before reaching adult plumage, 1st winter, 1st summer, 2nd winter and 3rd winter.

Some spend their summers on the northern coastline of Quebec, but a majority of the birds can be found year round from Newfoundland to the Carolinas year round. In winter they can be found further south all the way to Florida and the other Gulf States, some birds also end up in southern Ontario and the Great Lakes.

First Summer

First Winter

Third Winter

Adult

In all this series on Gulls, I am no expert and errors in ID can happen.

Ciao for now……..

This little duck led me on a merry chase. I’d gone up and down the Rideau River, quite a few times, looking for this duck. Due to a combination of weather, bad luck or work, I hadn’t been able to see it. Even though it was in a relatively small area of the river, it proved elusive, at least to me….lolol.

Today that all changed. Rick Collins and I went down to Strathcona Park, hoping to see the duck.

We parked the car and walked over to the edge of the River, scanning the area, which was full of Hooded Mergansers, Common Merganser, Bufflehead, Mallards, Common Goldeneye and Canada Geese. I had that feeling it wasn’t going to show itself again. As I was thinking that, a duck surfaced mid-river, there was no mistaking this bird, the white spot is a dead giveaway. There she was, female Harlequin Duck, Ottawa Bird # 247.

The male Harlequin will show up here someday, I hope. In my opinion, it’s one of the most beautiful ducks in North America. the photo below is from Barnegat Light, New Jersey, on the edge of the jetty. The Harlequins winter there and can number in the hundreds.

Until next time

Ciao for now…..