Aquatic, Wetland and Shore Birds
black-bellied plover in winter plumage
dunlin at Cook's Beach, Yarmouth County
marbled godwit (an occasional migrant to our region) with black-bellied plover
greater yellowlegs (the light was glaring on the rock that afternoon and I'm not happy with this shot, but it will have to do until I can get another one)
ring-necked plover (also called little ringed plover) near Pinkney's Point at Cook's Beach
plover and friend (least sandpiper) - nicely camouflaged!
heading toward the water
handsome sandhill crane, which appears to be expanding its range and is being seen
more and more often around wetland areas in NS (Shubenacadie Park)
a delightfully-marked puffin near Green Island in the Tusket chain
four puffins take it easy on the tranquil waters off Green Island
black guillemot with its meal (photo taken from quite a distance away)
juvenile double-crested cormorant (fresh-water pond)
A passing gull spots the splashing of a loon and pauses to investigate.
After submerging the loon, the thief makes off with his prize - a large eel.
If loons spoke English, this one would be delivering a string of curses as it watches its catch fly away!
a common loon glides peacefully on a lake in Yarmouth County
three mallard drakes "batching it" on the Annis River during mid-spring
great blue heron in Gardners' Mill
pelagic birds - great northern gannet, cormorants, male eider duck
Canada geese
wood ducks - two males, one female
juvenile osprey, our provincial bird - also called a fish hawk
mallard, herring gull, female merganser
Canada Goose flanked by mallards; in the photo at right, the birds are mating in the river
Canada goose gosling at left; mallard duckling at right
spectacular plumage of the male wood duck, Annis River
juvenile herring gull, Port Maitland, NS
barnacle goose, an occasional visitor from more northern regions (Shubenacdie Park)
mallard duckling
cormorant in the rapids below Tusket Falls dam, Raynardton
American Wigeon - an uncommon winter resident in NS
Greater scaup, Yarmouth Harbour (February, 2011)
Lesser Scaup (females) - Yarmouth Harbour, February 2011
Common Merganser (males) on the Tusket River - February 2011
Red-breasted Merganser (male) - Yarmouth Harbour (January, 2011)
Three Buffleheads (male in the middle) - Yarmouth Harbour (January, 2011)
Hooded Merganser (male) - Yarmouth Harbour, January 2011
Female common merganser eating a white sucker - Tusket River, January 2011 (shot taken from some distance away)