We’ve gotten lots of rain and more is coming this weekend! The lakes and creeks are filling up, making the critters (and me) happy.
I am going to be disappointed in myself if I get these identifications wrong,
but I think this handsome guy is a Ring Necked Duck.
Duck identification is difficult. (You can actually see the ring around his neck in this photo which is unusual).
We have thirty or so duck species in California, and that doesn’t include all the ones that aren’t supposed to be here! (Birds don’t read the manuals).
I think this similar,
but the not the same beauty,
is a lesser scaup male,
and here is the female.
Here they are together. Of course, I could be wrong. But irregardless of ID, a duck by any other name would quack the same!
Cheers to you from The Happy Holler Quackers~
Great photos
Happy you think so & thank you! α
Beautiful Photos Cindy and congratulations on 10,000 followers. That’s a lovely validation of your work. π
Much appreciated Cindy. Thank you & cheers α
you’re so welcome Cindyβ£οΈ Cheers to you π₯
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Your photos are magnificent Cindy.
Ahh, so appreciated Tangie. Take good care my friend α
They are all beautiful birds, Cindy. I love the ripples over the pebbles in the water, too. That one photo of the lesser scaup female looks like a giant duck in a tiny watery amphitheater.
What a wonderful descriptor! She does look like she’s ready to launch her aria π α
And I would agree, Cindy. π
Us quackers need to stick together! α
Absolutely beautiful!
So appreciated Susan as I appreciate your dedicated advocacy my friend α
you quacked me up!~
Laughing… Visa vers 2UX2! αα
Beautiful birds and photos, Cindy. With all the rain, I expect there will be an awesome Super Bloom this year, don’t you think? I would so love to see it!
Thank you Eliza. Yes, we are going. They are anticipating an earlier bloom, so timing needs to be carefully planned. We want to combine it with seeing the birds before they leave in The Salton Sea. So looking forward….. I notice wildflowers now, everywhere, which is unusual. We even had a tall waterfall! α
Awesome, take lots of flower pix! π
I will.
Duck IDs can be challenging! Nice portraits!
Such subtle differences, and then they always go where they are not supposed to be! It is fun though α
Wow, the ducks are so beautiful, Cindy! Excellent photos. β€οΈβΊοΈ
So appreciated John. There is more rain heading both our ways!! Hooray α
So beautiful .
Thank you very much & cheers! α
How beautiful!!!
Thank you Gigi. I hope your arm is knitting, Emily is sleeping, and so are you! αα
Beautiful photos!
Grazie mille! α
Those are FABULOUS photos, Cindy! And I love that you actually got the ring in one of the photos of the Ring-necked!!! Scaups are so hard to tell apart, but I think you’re right about it being the Lesser since they have the pointy heads in profile. π€π€ them!
I knew my sharp blogger friends would know if I made an error so I could correct it. Thank you Teresa. Bird id’ing can be very tricky. but it’s a lot of fun. I α my friends who α birds α
Cute happy ducks. We need rain. We have only had 0.12 inches of rain this month.
Isn’t it wonderful. Just one brief storm gave us 5 1/2 inches. And there have been more storms, and another about to arrive. α
These ducks are great posers and they are so photogenic. Anita
I swear, wild birds love posing for photographs. They always know when you are focusing on them and often look directly in your lens! α
Beautiful captures
I shall kiss and pat (in the water, how fun and boingy would that be?) all 30 or so species!! The males’ color variations are gorgeous! I did not know these beauties resided there, nor that they existed.
Now, ducks you can kiss, pat, and even hug if you want….. If you can catch them, in the water, of course! You make me smile Dawn. Thank you! π π
Finally!
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good news and beautiful shots
Thank you very much Beth α
Great shots of duck species I don’t see in my neck of the woods. Cheers to lake and reservoir levels rising!
It is so wonderful to see the land and animals respond. We got 5 1/2 inches of rain in just one storm which is very rare, and there have been many storms, and more coming. α
You’ve had quite the different winter!
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Haha, that’s a classic Cindy, they do indeed quack the same…well…almost. Great pictures and I love that whispy white blending into the black on their backs. Top share my friend, may they help us out and maybe wear tags for a while π€£β€οΈππ½
Yes! Name tags. Excellent idea. Implementation a bit challenging but doable I’m sure…. π
Good to hear you’ve had rain! No wonder the ducks are happy.
Look at all that clean water! I am happy for them α
Unusual looking ducks. Your photos are captivating!
Aww… So pleased you enjoyed Michele & thank you for letting me know! α
Gorgeous photos. I didn’t realize how beautiful ducks are until I saw them up close like this.
You make me happy I posted. Thank you & cheers Debra α
Stunning close-ups, Cindy, and, yes, you have the IDs correct! π
Yay! Thank you Donna α
Ducks are cool. Good photos!
Thanks much & cheers α
They are so pretty. Thanks for sharing your lovely photos of these duckies, especially your capture of the ring. Cheers.
You are so welcome Lynette! Happy you enjoyed & have a wonderful Sunday α
If one of us were to one day grow wings, surely it would be you. Lovely ducks, no doubt. Me, I love seagulls and pelicans (well OK, hummingbirds too). But new contender is the SHOEBILL Stork (tho San Diego Zoo says, no, not stork, but rather its own self). A visual marvel that most looks like it can’t be real, but is. African mostly, and near extinct (shame on us humans).
Yes, nice ducks, but that first image of hills and lake… well stirs up California homesick for me. That just felt good in my bones. Big thank you for that.
I get you Neil. I saw the storks in Africa. They were so amazing. You also know Cali, like I do. She just got tons of rain and snow. The Sierras which get the most snow in the lower 48, are overwhelmed. And another storm is comming. It should be here by morning. I couldn’t possibly be happier α
Fudge. Twice my comment did not take. I surrender. I said nice things. Another day.
This is the WP Magic disappearing comment function. Like the WP Magic disappearing followers function. And the WP disappearing stats function. And the WP blogs I follow function disappearing from my WP Reader. But thankfully, the payment I give each year to WP for my custom theme, never unintentionally disappears.
I’m going to agree with you on their names π They are gorgeous ducks!
Laughing… Thank you Dale! It isn’t even true ‘if it quacks like a duck, it’s a duck’. Some whistle, and others make odd noises π π
Hahaha! Too true! π
Sorry. NOW they are showing up.
WP gremlins never sleep!
I love how you captured the sheen of the black plumage: it makes the photos come to life!
Well thank you for noticing. Black birds are never only black. In bright sunlight you can see all the colors, some have blue tint, others purple, and others green. They have hidden color α
He looks pretty seducktive! Lol!
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Laughing…. You just did the impossible and topped yourself ααα
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Superb photos as always Cindy
So appreciated Sheree α
Beautiful pics of your ducks Cindy, they are quite handsome and different from ours.
I love both your ducks and mine. Us ducks need to stick together π π
Oh ducks are so difficult to identify aren’t they, often because they are so far away in the middle of a lake!
Could I interest you in my new nature blog Cindy? One of the posts in particular might interest you. It’s an app that I think is brilliant for identifying bird sounds in the field. Thanks a lot. https://denzilnature.com/2023/01/22/merlin-bird-id-app/
I just started following your new blog. It’s wonderful! Love the app. Cornell is my go to bird identifying resource. I am a member of their ‘All About Birds’. Love what they do and you too! Thank you α
Super, thanks Cindy. Yes I am new to Cornell and am impressed by what they do. Very inspiring.
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Great close up photos of the duck! It makes me so happy to see CA lakes and creeks getting higher. They’ve been bone dry for so long.
Yes! And more rain and snow on the way. It is such an incredible relief. Thank you & take care α
Thank goodness! We Californians get super excited with rain and news of snow. When there’s rain in the forecast we wait with our rain boots and umbrellas.
Yes!!! Every time I travel to a rainy or snowy place, I think, why can’t I bring this home? I love California. I hate to see her suffer. Wonderful to know you feel the same. α
I have the same sentiments! I’m always weary of wasting water. lol
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Great news that the water is rising, Cindy and as always stunning images so much minute detail of the duck and the surroundings π x
Thank you very much Carol. Congratulations on your new beautiful great granddaughter! α
Thank βyou, Cindy π€ππ
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Lovely shots of some lovely ducks…by any name, Cindy! π
Smiling. Thank you Steve & cheers! α
Don’t look to me to help you with ID, especially as these particular ducks won’t come to England. But I’m glad to have been introduced – thanks Cindy.
Don’t say they will never come to The UK out loud. They might hear you and fly over. Birds do such and they seem to like The UK, smart birdies. You know about your parakeets, and I saw Egyptian Geese in St. James Park, Mandarin Ducks in Oxforshire, and I read about that Bald Eagle who flew over from North America. You kindly flew him back on British Air. I would guess in First Class π π
Marvellous portraits. Father Christmas gave me a mug printed with images of birds found in and around the New Forest. It has already proved useful for identification
I think this is you Derrick? I found this comment in spam and think it is a duplicate? I think Father Christmas gave you a lovely and most useful present! α
Marvellous portraits. Father Christmas gave me a mug printed with images of birds in and around the New Forest. It has already proved useful for identification
Thank you very much Derrick. That is a wonderful gift. You can engage in the engaging practice of bird identification while drinking your Morning Joe! α
Pingback: Hollerites~ β – Echoes in the Mist
I am grateful for people like you Sharon. Thank you α
Dear Cindy
Fancy dugs, indeed! Great pictures.
We never know the ID of birds which we don’t see regularly. But we are surrounded by birdwise people who know.
Keep well
The Fab Four of Cley
π π π π
It is good in life to be surrounded by wise people like yourself my friend. Take care all of you Fab Four & thank you α
I can’t get over the clarity and detail of duck portraits!
Ahh…. So appreciated Liz. Take good care my friend α
You, too, Cindy. π
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Your photos allow me the chance to pause and just really take in the intricate beauty of their coloring and patterns in their feathers. So amazing!
Cindy, great clarity of photos and thanks for teaching us about the defining characteristics of your quackery there in the holler!
We do have so much quackery at The Holler!! π π
Thank you Patty! You make me happy I posted α
If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it is probably a duck!! I love these guys whatever type of duck they are.
Exactly! Smiling. Thank you Darlene α
Great Weather for Ducks Cindy… π Stunning photos… Just beautiful… <3
Thank you Sue & Happy Sunday!
<3
Beautiful photos, Cindy! I love ducks!
I α my friends who α ducks Eugenia. Thank you! α
I want to reach out and touch.
Yes! They look so soft and silky α
Duck identification is incredibly hard! I worked at a park that specialized in birding, particularly waterfowl, and I always found it difficult to tell some species of ducks apart.
A guy was telling me they were buffleheads. I’m used to this. I never say anything because I get it wrong too sometimes. α
I understand! I get my duck ID’s wrong a lot.
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The ducks are beautiful, elegant looking feathers!
They are QT’s! α
So happy you’re getting the needed rain. These cute little guys and gals look happy.
They are so happy. After years of drought, these ducks are all wet! π
Wow- they are beautiful. And, that clearness of the water is stunning!
It is so good to see them happy in the clear, clean water! α
How sweet! I love your photos! xo
I love your thoughtful comments Kymber. Take good care α
Gorgeous shots! Beautiful birds.
Merci beaucoup mon Ami Julie α
Oui, oui, amigo!
αα
I agree, Cindy. If it quacks, it’s a duck, and these are just beautiful!
Smiling… If it looks, acts, walks, and talks, like a duck, it’s a quacker! π
It doesn’t matter to them what they are called! And these ladies and gents are simply gorgeous. Thanks for the photos!
Your are most welcome & I am happy you like them! α
Handsome dudes!
They’ve got looks and personality! π
Of all the ring-necked ducks I’ve seen, I have never seen the ring on the neck. Incredible to see here, Cindy. Great photos and great post.
Ahh, thank you Jet. I was super jazzed to see the ring too. It was a first for me as well α
They seem pretty happy there Cindy.
Leslie
They do, don’t they. I think they love the new, clean water α
Those colors and details are beautiful Cindy. I miss having a real camera and zoom to be able to see and photograph close ups and details like in your photos, I’m glad you and the critters are happy with the rain. Cheers!
Thank you Brad. I hope you get a camera soon! Take good care my friend α
The ducks are amazing, Cindy.
Thank you my friend & Happy Sunday! α
I have always found it interesting that in many animal species the males are the colorful ones. Very pretty ducks. π
Yes. Us humans got it backwards! π
Point taken, Cindy, and thank you again for the Duck Info to go with these awesome photos. Good grief – could they possibly be any more magnificent!
Have a wonderful Sunday Sheila & take good care.
So cute! π€
They are QT’s! Happy Sunday Dana α
What pretty ducks! Their feathers glisten like gemstones, and they look delighted at having all that water to swim around in.
Fresh rainwater enables them to preen their plumage to maximum effect! Thank you for noticing Debbie & cheers α
Beautiful!
Grazie mille Ute! α
Did you see those eyes! WOW – there is a special kind of wisdom in our fellow creatures. Thank you for the introduction.
That is the most amazing thing to me. When wild creatures choose to look into the eye of my camera.
Such beautiful shots of the ducks…now I’ll have to look up the 30 California species. So enjoy receiving you blog.
I am so happy you are looking them up! They are more ducks than this here, because ducks really don’t pay attention to where they ought to be π
Beautiful!
It takes beauty to see it my friend α
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Blessed be the rain! Whatever their names, the ducks featured appear to be well fed π
“Blessed be the rain,” and well fed ducks! Thank you for understanding Rosaliene α
If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck…
Handsome dudes, daffy or not.
“If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck⦔
I could be a daffy dude or not!
Thank you for cracking me up Dave & take good care α
Beautiful shots , Cindy. I adore ducks, and these 2 are special.
Thank you!
Of course you like ducks Resa. You’re an awesome person, and awesome people like ducks! αα
Quack! αααα
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Cute captures enjoy all the greenery those rains will bring.
It is like manna from Heaven. And it is raining now! α
xo
Beautiful!!
Grazie mille Jennie α
You are most welcome, Cindy.
I do love ducks! They are such adorable and interesting creatures! Thirty different kinds of ducks – that’s really a lot!
Have a finde new week and stay safe, dear Cindy!
I so enjoy your thoughtful and kind comments Martha. Thank you for always making me smile. Take good care my friend α
Creature acquatiche meravigliose, che hai saputo cogliere nei loro atteggiamenti migliori…
Cari saluti silvia
Grazie di vero Silvia. Apprezzo molto i tuoi commenti premurosi. Abbi cura di te amico mio α
E’ sempre un gran piacere apprezzarele tue foto su belle immagini della natura. Cari saluti
These are gorgeous ducks! Love the shiny black feathers.
They seem so happy in the fresh clean rain water! α
I’ve never seen these types of ducks before. Does the ring neck duck really have a blue section on his beak? The pattern of white and black or brown on the lesser scaup ducks is beautiful.
Yes, the blue is real. It can be faint or more pronounced. They are beautiful aren’t they. Very happy you enjoyed them Kathy α
Beautiful shots, Cindy. Glad to hear those water levels are at least moving in the right direction. I know our ducks, geese, and birds are all enjoying our wet winter here.
It is a huge change for the better in SoCal. All the mountains around us are deeply covered in snow pack α
We love duckies and yours are so special, CindyπΈExcellent pictures! Double Pawkisses from us for you and the duckies tooπΎπ½π
So appreciated! Many thanks and take good care α
Lovely shots. Those are some elegant looking ducks.
Ducks are often so well dressed! π
Quite the poser. Just ducky!
Thanks ducks! π
Love the ducks!
So happy you do & cheers to you June α
Aww! He’s both cute and handsome in equal measures – I want to cuddle him up!! They make a lovely couple π₯°
Smiling… Thank you very much α
These are beautiful photos!β€οΈ
Honored. Thank you & be well α
I really enjoy these beautiful photos, also the ones of finches. These birds may be Californian, but they remind me a lot of my parent’s place in Germany. Great shots!
Thank you Corrina. Birds are universal and the world is small. My favorite photos of house finches were taken in Switzerland α
Delightful series, Cindy. Such a beautiful duck.π
Happy you enjoyed my friend & thank you for stopping by α