A fairly short post today, of a species I seldom photograph.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Yesterday morning I was surprised to find a female Canvasback consorting with all the Pied-billed Grebes at the 4-way pond at Farmington Bay WMA. You can see the wake of one of the grebes at the top of the frame. She frustrated me because she spent all of her time sleeping with her head and bill laid over her back and her eyes usually closed. Finally, I decided to give up and leave the area but I wondered if she’d wake up when I started my pickup so I was prepared for any activity when I did.
At the sound of my starter motor she awakened and raised her body to shake in the water. This photo was taken just as she was settling back down in the water, after which she immediately went back to sleep. It’s far from a great photo (it could be a tad sharper – my engine was running when I took the photo) but for me it’s a significant one because I seldom see Canvasbacks, much less get close enough to one for reasonably good photos.
I do hope she got her beauty sleep after I left.
Ron
She IS a pretty girl but is she just out of normal range for her species (why you don’t see them very often)? Perhaps she was just very tired from a long flight….
“why you don’t see them very often?”
Chris, my good friend Jim DeWitt, a consummate birder, made this comment about Canvasbacks on my post on Facebook: “Canvasbacks aren’t common anywhere I’ve birded”. It may be that they’re not particularly common anywhere.
Looks plenty sharp to me despite engine shake.
I read (not all😱) of the BotW account of the Canvasback. Quite an extensive entry. They apparently hybridize with the Redhead, Lesser Scaup and Mallard. Hopelessly confusing.
I read your previous accounts of the Canvasback, all the way back to 2010! Quite an ethological accounting, especially the piscivory (still no mention of that in BotW).
“still no mention of that in BotW”
Possibly because of the way piscivore (piscivory) is typically pronounced… 🙂
She doesn’t need any more ‘beauty’ sleep. What a subtle charmer. I am glad that you were alert to her wiles.
Me too. Thanks, EC.
Good catch.
Must add to the caption “…startled by starter”.😁
Now that would be a head-scratcher, at least before the post had been read.
Nice photo and story Ron. I have taken photos of them – male and female – mostly sleeping, while at one of our riparian ponds. Once recently I was very surprised to find both of them very active swimming up and down the pond frequently. But generally mostly ignored like many others. I always give you and extra two-thumbs up for your occasional showing of the ones who are mostly ignored.
Thanks, Everett. Believe me, I never ignore Canvasbacks. I see them too seldom for that.
So pretty in her plainness. I have a print of “ Canasbacks Swinging Out” signed by the artist and numbered which I found at a local Goodwill. It is the first thing I see in the morning other than my husband (and sometimes eager chihuahua standing in my chest. )
Arwen, being greeted by a Canvasback every morning has to be a good thing.
Nice! Used to be fairly common at Benton and Freezeout – haven’t been in years so don’t know now. Glad she cooperated!
32 this morning with wind – chinook “trying” to happen the rest of the week at least…. 😉 Glad I don’t have to be on I90 any time soon – a REAL mess!
Thanks, Judy. I remember those MT chinooks well. From one extreme to the other…