Female Muscovy Duck with Her Mate

 

The female Muscovy duck I saw last Sunday was with her mate.  When a time will come the female will build a nest for her nestlings and will care for them on her own.  The ducklings after they fledge will maintain the strong bond with each other even after their mother will leave.

The female duck was a true beauty, very feminine and slender.  

Perhaps, I made her a little bit nervous and she raised the crest of feathers on her head.

 

The female Muscovy Ducks don't mate for life like Canada geese.   

It's time for a nap.

The male Muscovy Duck.

It's interesting that Muscovy Ducks are the quietest of all ducks.  Geese are noisy, female Mallard ducks are noisy but the Muscovy Ducks are overall quiet.

Generally, life is good!

A Ring-billed Gull is Waiting for a Free Meal

When I see the Ring-billed Gulls hanging around Pelicans I know what they are after. Gulls are the aggressive thieves that try to steal fish from Pelicans.

But what about Cormorants?  Do Ring-billed Gulls steal fish from them also? Yes, they steal.  Gulls appear to be simple birds but they don't wait passively for fish, they are actively stealing.  Stealing over the years Gulls developed many tricks and techniques to get a free meal. 

The Gulls are very intelligent and adaptive to their environment.  They are not monstrous, they are great survivors. 

Generally, life is good! 

Canada Geese are Fighting

 

When I am in the Beau Park I always wait when Canada geese will start a fight and  chase each other in the water. I like when action is taking place, it's a great opportunity to capture interesting moments and also to practice taking action photographs.

The Canada goose is full of determination to reach an intruder.

Generally, life is good!

Great Blue Heron

 

Seeing the Great Blue in such a harsh place was a little bit upsetting but at the same time wonderful. The Heron was close and he wasn't going anywhere.

The background on all photographs is a burnt ground. The staff at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge from time to time are burning some areas of refuge to control invasive phragmites, a grassy plant that crowds out native plants and kills them.  After the phragmites were burnt it doesn't take long for life to go back to normal and some birds like Great Blue Herons adjust very quickly to the burnt areas. 

 

Generally, life is good!