The Daily Bucket is a nature refuge.
We amicably discuss animals, weather, climate, soil, plants, waters and note life’s patterns.
We invite you to note what you are seeing around you in your own part of the world, and to share your observations in the comments below.
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September 29, 2019
Salish Sea, PacificNorthwest
Hoodies, aka Hooded Mergansers, are back in the bay after raising families in freshwater ponds over the summer. I started seeing a few in mid September and now there’s a little flock of ten hanging out in my local bay. All hens and youngsters, no adult males.
I took some photos of them in late September on a calm sunny day.
They cruise back and forth over shallow water, sometimes diving to fish for gunnels and other small bottomfish. Other times grooming. Or tussling or conversing. Probably other things going on too I’m not able to perceive.
I can’t really tell who’s who by markings at this stage. There are subtle variations though in these grey and brown ducks with white patches. You might be able to see some slight differences at they turn this way and that. Adult males, by contrast, are very distinctive, and usually what you see pictured when bringing up an article on Hooded Mergansers. I’ve seen a couple of them recently but on a fresh water pond by the self-serve feed and seed store a few miles away. I’m sure I’ll see them over this way after a bit.
The hoodies in the little flock here in the bay snap at each other frequently. It’s kind of odd they do that considering how important it clearly is to them to stick together in a tight group.
On this day they shifted between restlessness and snoozing over just a few minutes. Paddling by a likely looking flat rock, some hauled out to do a bit of grooming, perhaps inspired by a Glaucous-winged gull there doing the same. Note how small Hoodies are compared to the gull. That’s typical for diving ducks.
Five was as many as could comfortably fit on that end of the rock. One would hop off, another hop on. They combed out their feathers assiduously for a while, and then some settled down for a brief nap.
Ducks are arriving in a trickle so far. There’ll be more. It’s a big reason I look forward to winter. I’ve read reports of buffleheads in Bellingham to my north in the past couple of days! I’m keeping a close eye on the bay and you may be sure I will report as soon as I see them here.
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Overcast in the PNW islands. Temps have warmed up into the 40s. Chance of sprinkles later.
What’s up in nature in your area today?
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