Some photos for a quick Bucket for today. Taken the afternoon of October 21, 2016 as the sun was starting to go down. Concentrating on the birds seen near the dam on the Schuylkill River. The usual suspects for the most part, but a few surprises as well.
The Daily Bucket is a regular feature of the Backyard Science group. It is a place to note any observations you have made of the world around you. Insects, weather, meteorites, climate, birds and/or flowers. All are worthy additions to the bucket. Please let us know what is going on around you in a comment. Include, as close as is comfortable for you, where you are located. Each note is a record that we can refer to in the future as we try to understand the patterns that are quietly unwinding around us. |
The water above the dam is at pretty low water levels. A backwater spot where I have seen green herons before is almost dry; just contains mud and drying out duckweed.
The duckweed along the banks has died back as well. Probably a combination of being washed downstream, cooler weather, and shorter periods of daylight. Which might be one reason I actually saw herons at the dam itself rather than further upstream.
The Canada Goose flock was out of the water at this time and over in a grassy area grazing. There were a few individual geese swimming here and there, but none in the photos here.
The wire across the river supporting the dam’s safety barrier was also loaded with cormorants. About forty of them were jostling for position since that appears to be where they roost for the night. Since there was still some light a number of them were still in the water and diving after fish.
Groups of ducks were also flying in to settle down. Usually 4-8 of them at a time. Looked to be mallards for the most part.
In the above picture there are the following:
Ring-billed Gull (left side and flying); Double-crested Cormorant (on logs and swimming below the dam); Great Blue Heron (standing in the middle on the dam); Greater Black-backed Gull (on dam to the right of the heron). Mallard ducks and Canada Goose not in the picture but nearby. This seems to be the mix to be found around the dam for most of the year.
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So what is going on in your local streams and bodies of water?