More scaup, gadwalls and other water birds

Lake Murray is getting even more scaup.  I understand that they're a bit early this year.  

It looks like most of the ones that have arrived are young males.

Gadwalls are increasing.  Here is a trio along with a wood duck:

The male will answer to the name "Gaddy", but I know it's not Gaddy because he's already in his beautiful smooth gray colors and hanging out with his mallard girlfriend.

So many coots have arrived at the lake.  They are spread out over every inch:

The sora, a winter favoirte, is also already here:

I thought I would throw in this photo of Pink Legs, the young western gull, practicing his fishing.  Most gulls don't make it to full maturity at three to four years old.  Pink Legs looks to be between one and two years old, so he's got a chance.  Most gulls that die do so their first year then mortality drops off.

Gadwall and grebe day

The gadwalls seem to have calmed down a little at Lake Murray and are letting me get some photos.  And, there were a mess of eared grebes all around, too.  I think I saw at least 20 gadwalls and about 10 eared grebes today, very unusual.  Lots of lesser scaup, too, but nowhere as much as last year.

The one in front, I think, is a resident gadwall

This guy is very friendly

Other birds:

Lesser scaup

Young juvenile western gull

Older juvenile western gull

White crowned sparrow

And, a fun one of Pepper, stretching.

Drizzly, drizzy day. Ruddy ducks are here!

I didn't see much of the killdeer today, mostly the M6 mom in the big baseball field, at first, and then her son, Secret with her later. I could hear killdeer all over the lake, especially when the hawk flew by, but I didn't see much.

I saw some new creatures today, most notable yellow-headed blackbirds and ruddy ducks! I've never seen ruddy ducks at Lake Murray before. They were hard to get a photo of because they didn't come close to the shore. But, they were very cute!

Here is a shot of a female yellow-headed blackbird:



Here is a shot of a ruddy duck:



Here's a photo of a wood duck I saw. Sorry it's blurry. I tried to get one of the female, too, but she was too shy and all the photos I took of her were much more blurry:



There is a very young seagull chasing around the attacking the coots and sometimes the ducks. Most of the time, it left the ducks alone, but insisted on harassing the coots. He didn't seem like he wanted to hurt them, mostly just chase them around or peck at them (they pecked at him when he swooped over them). He seemed fine with the smaller birds. He also seemed really clumsy at takeoffs and landing, so I don't think he's been flying all that long. Why he was singling out the coots is news to me. I'm glad it's not duckling and chick season, but I worry about him bothering the killdeer, who were not around. He ignored the grackles.



Coots:

There is an overabundance of coots on the lake right now, more than ducks. I am surprised that predators aren't picking them off or they haven't gotten a lot of diseases.

I think this is the almost drowned coot who hangs out in a different area now. He is really friendly and often walks up to people. He looks like he still has a swelling on his left side, otherwise he seems fine.



Warning, graphic photo:

As I was leaving, I went over to where the coots liked to hang out under a tree and found what looked like to be a drowned coot, dead.



It looks like it might have had the same thing that happened to the other one. Either the hawk or the osprey is jumping down from the tree and landing on them. Last time, the hawk was chased away before he could finish the coot, but this time, it looks like it died without being eaten. Ospreys don't usually eat birds, especially ones this large (they will take small birds and chicks once in a while), so if it's the osprey's fault, it was an accident.

Still, the coots continued to feed under that tree while the water levels are high.

Teenage killdeers in love

Killer the killdeer in the morning

The first thing I saw when I arrived was Killer (George's son) and Shy (M6 dad's daughter from across the lake) all alone near the fence, but they flew away to their family. While I was at the fence, I checked to see if George and Martha were hiding young chicks behind there, but saw nothing. Nor did either parent get upset that I was over there, so there may not be any more chicks around.

Killer and Shy

The lake level is really low and the entire family plus Shy and her dad were there. George and the M6 dad were always at it. One time, they got up and flew around, chasing each other. They flew right at a Cooper's hawk trying to catch a dove or pigeon. The other five killdeers on the ground did alarm calls as soon as they saw the hawks, all in unison. But, the adult males continued flying around, finally landing and thus ending the alarm calls.

George, yelling at the M6 dad

The M6 dad puffs up as he passes Killer to reach his daughter

Later, the M6 dad and Shy went to the other side of the parking lot. Killer followed, but kept his distance. But, all the other killdeer began flying around to different points of the lake, calling and fighting. Killer stayed behind and when I approached him, he did a half-broken wing act for an unknown reason. It looks like he still hasn't gotten all his adult display feathers.

Killer trying to do a broken wing act, lacks some display tail feathers

Many of the killdeer were flying to areas where I don't usually see them. One area is usually full of ducks, but there were none this time. I noticed a killdeer, I think it might have been George, flew there before joining the others at different points of the lake. The only killdeer at the ballfields was the little baby 8 week old, Surprise.

All four Cooper's hawks were very busy and making the killdeer very nervous. I think the hawks were having a hard time catching anything, probably due to the low water levels and the lack of doves. The adult male Cooper's hawk attacked an osprey trying to get dinner. I, at first, thought the osprey was another regular hawk and was scared for the killdeer when it swooped close to them. But, ospreys eat almost totally fish. They may take a chick or egg if they come across one and possibly some snails and slugs, but they are no treat to adult birds or mammals.

The low water levels must be making all the birds cranky. The Chinese gander, who has bitten me several times, but not seriously or often, decided to grab my calf and not let go! He was in a rage and I don't know why. I've been trying to be his friend for months, but he just won't turn around.

Also seen:

Besides the osprey, whom I couldn't get a photo of, I found the two spotted sandpipers in an odd spot of the lake.



And, two Western seagulls who seem to be either courting or doing territorial displays: