Northern Shovellers show at Sam Smith Park

[aviator]

Male shovelling synchronised

Male dabbling synchronised

Muskrat spectators

Female announcing next event

Female diving competition

Continued

Judges

Did I just see what I saw?

[Shortsighted]

Seems to me that those two Northern Shovelers have been hanging around with each other way too long.
I love the shot with its foot to bill, as if shouting ... "Hey, I found one ... just below me. Get the salvage gear ... quick".
I have not come across any Shovelers out here in the east end. They often settle for a spell at the mouth of the Rouge, at
Rouge Beach Park because the flood plain is broad and the water is shallow. None so far though. In previous years the Shovelers didn't
appear until November, at which time Green-winged Teal might also make a showing.

In the spring Shovelers were already at Grenadier pond by April 4th.

By the way, how do you tell those ducks apart? That goes for the twin muskrats as well.

Shortsighted

[aviator]

The male and female are quite different in plumage. I was surprised to see the females dive so often. The muskrats are hard to tell apart except there was a juvenile with them that was much smaller, about the size and colour of a mink. The birds just ignored them all which they wouldn't have done if they were mink. As to timing there were 4 Shovellers one day and on the next there were 15 or so. They are regular visitors to the Park Spring and Fall.