Bay Photos by Donna

Our temperatures have been flip-flopping like the rest of the U.S. from the low 20’s to the upper 60’s, it’s crazy!  We are thankful we’ve only had small snow dustings here and there.  Hopefully, we make it to Spring without anything significant occurring before then.

The Buffleheads’ continue their daily visits around our berm, always providing a lot of enjoyment.  They are small and quick and one busy duck!  This time I was able to capture the lighting on a male to show his iridescent colors around his head.

Male Bufflehead with three Female Buffleheads

Male Bufflehead

Male Bufflehead with a little wind behind him!

Another day, another couple……

Male & Female Buffleheads

I had previously posted a terrible capture of a female Common Goldeneye, but it was a first sighting for me.  She continued to visit at sunrise for a several mornings.  This time I did a better job showing her beauty!

Female Common Goldeneye

Female Common Goldeneye

As I walked out onto my balcony at sunrise one morning, a small flock of Canada Geese had started a descent towards our berm in the cove to try to get some relief from the winds that morning.  I captured a few as they dropped, they are pretty darn good at their maneuvers!

Canada Geese

At a day’s sunset, I captured these male and female Mallards off in the distant, crossing over the sun shining on the water as it was setting.

Male & Female Mallard Ducks

This group on another day, just loitering around our berm.

Mallard Ducks

Saturday a week ago, we were running a little late leaving for work to do some catching up.  And I was so very happy we did because just before finally being ready to go, this juvenile American Bald Eagle suddenly landed on our osprey nest platform for just a few minutes before taking flight.   🙂

American Bald Eagle – Juvenile

It was this past Friday that we had near 70 degrees weather; I pulled up at home and spotted these two American Robins on the ground.  It certainly felt like a spring day with their sighting!

American Robins

American Robin

Even during the winter, I occasionally ride down our drive to our community’s marina to see what might be perched or swimming around the docks.  It’s exciting to find a  surprise, which this past Friday I did.  I sighted a dozen Ruddy Ducks, some sleeping, some watching.  I parked the car and was able to walk up to them while staying out of sight to try to get some close shots.  I was eventually spotted by the watchers, but they didn’t seem to care about me as I didn’t move any closer.  They offered some beautiful portraits in the reflecting waters.  🙂

Male Ruddy Ducks

Female Ruddy Duck

Male Ruddy Duck

I see you too!

Male Ruddy Duck

Finally, a photo of our visiting Great Blue Heron, this time he’s leaving me!  We had quite a few Mallards around the berm where he was perched in the brush at the base of the osprey nest platform in the cold.  The Mallards were noisily chattering and darting around which And seemed to annoy the Great Blue Heron enough for him to take flight right between their group, scattering them.  He just gracefully flapped away!

Great Blue Heron

I’ve been working a lot of  overtime for weeks now and have gotten majorly behind in everything it seems.  That includes my keeping up with my fellow bloggers, so please excuse me, I miss you and will be back to catch up!

Thanks so very much to everyone for stopping by to see my latest captures.  Some how some way, these birds keep my sanity in tack!  🙂