Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Weapon of choice

Kinda my thoughts, too CB1...not that I have much choice as to their dining decisions.
No gills were stocked, though I think we all know that they can/will somehow "arrive". Instead, there should be plenty of RES, YP, GSH, and FH to select from on the menu.
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they were gone the following morning

Somehow I missed the posts on the Pileated WP. Those are one of my favorite birds.

Sunil...were you able to click/open the Pileated video I posted on the previous page? I find now that I cannot do so without being asked by Photobucket to log in.
???
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edit; never mind, just re-linked it

No, it wanted me to log in.

The Hooded Mergansers must be migrating thru the area. One Drake and 3 hens were on the pond this a.m.

Big-head is back...

Did he really ever leave ? Every pond we have has a pair.

migratory for us

We don't have that bird. What is it?

Belted King Fisher.

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Belted_Kingfisher/id

We have had somewhat minimal luck with attracting ducks to the pond. We get them, but never much more than a dozen or so at a time. There are many weekends that we don't see any duck activity. Dski loves them little quackers, so whenever we get any duck activity, she gives the binoc's a real workout. It does my heart good to see her enjoying her favorite feathered visitors.
Well, the last few weekends have ushered substantial duckage adjustments. Being the spring, with migration and all, I presume that our chances for increased duckage are likely near a peak. We have always gotten a few Woodducks, Hooded Mergansers, Groebes, and an occassional Mallard. A few weeks ago, we got a new visitor that brought out the bird bood for ID. Our first Ringneck ducks. The next weekend, some more. This past weekend, I guesstimate 75 - 100 of the dabbling divers.



There were a few Woodducks, Mallards, and Hooded Mergansers mixed in, but by and large the vast majority was Ringnecks

Looks like there were some Scaup mixed in there as well.

Ringnecks are my favorite duck. When they are coming into land they sound like a little jet engine.

Had a pair of Wood ducks come into my duck pond today. The pond was dry yesterday but we got a good rain this morning that put a few feet of water in it. They hung around for a little while before all the water drained back out.

Having all this activity was like being at nature's airport. 4 would come in, 6 would leave, repeat. Because the pond is completely surrounded by tall, mature trees, they have to make a couple of circles around the pond perimeter after they lift off from the runway. It really is fun to watch.

I'll bet you'll see more on the pond next weekend.

...and furthermore
during this enjoyable weekend of high duckage, we also got exposed to a couple more duck newbies that we have not seen before.

Please note that these images were borrowed from the www. There is no way I can take pics like these

We got about 6 or 8 male and female green winged teals



...and this was the most unusual, at least for us. We got one drake Northern Shoveler...didn't bring a gal pal.

We saw this young lady last winter (at our principal residence), but she just made a rainy evening appearance for her spring debut.


Explanation

I see American Robins like that fairly regularly. One I saw Easter weekend was nearly all white. Cool looking bird...