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Posts Tagged "diving"

Loch Ness Monster?

Posted on Mar 1, 2016

Loch Ness Monster?

Loch Ness Monster? Ut oh, it’s surfacing, and it’s looking directly at me! Or maybe not…but close enough in look and unfortunately somewhat in status. Horned Grebes (Podiceps auritus) are listed on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species as “Vulnerable”. We often do not get to enjoy them close-up like these views I was afforded last week. While their wintering plumage is meant to camouflage them in the water, their piercing red eyes are a bright beacon on even the dullest of late winter days. Keep an eye out...

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Red-breasted Mergansers

Posted on Jan 28, 2016

Red-breasted Mergansers

These Red-breasted Mergansers were enjoying some diving and feeding on another lovely January day as our temperatures have risen back to above-normal…and certainly a far more comfortable setting than the past two winters. Waters are opening up once again and snow is melting here in the Northeast. Their crazy “hair”, or shaggy crest, makes them a little easier to identify from a distance. Did you know they are the fastest duck ever recorded? They can zip by at incredible speeds passing 70, 80 or even 90MPH with their long, sleek body slicing directly through the air....

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Common Goldeneye

Posted on Jan 25, 2016

Common Goldeneye

The drake Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) on the right was swimming with several others of the species in this extremely cropped shot. They were a little too far for my taste, but I was fortunately able to snap a photo at the right second as he was about to devour what looks like a delicious mussel. I think it would feel a little better going down for him than me. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator

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Common Loons (Gavia immer)

Posted on Feb 17, 2015

Common Loons (Gavia immer)

There have been sizable groups of Common Loons (Gavia immer), with a few Red-throated Loons (Gavia stellata) occasionally mixed in, off Stratford, Connecticut lately. The waters of Long Island Sound have been a feeding frenzy for the species during this period with prolonged below-average temperatures, and some flocks like this have moved close to shore to dive for meals. On a dark and dreary day their grays blend in wonderfully with the water, making for exceptional camouflage. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator

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American Coots (Fulica americana)

Posted on Dec 12, 2014

American Coots (Fulica americana)

Here is a series of photographs recently taken of two American Coots as they were swimming and feeding on a sunny day. The lovely weather permitted me to snap off some shots while they eagerly dived for food. Watch how one bird gets a sense of the snack it wants, some delicious aquatic vegetation, circling with its head facing downward. They must have some sensational, well-tuned sight to be able to see so well down through the water column. Once it decides what to grab…down it goes in a splash! The other bird, having followed the first nearly the entire time, circling in the same...

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