Weird Winter Ducks

     I had a hankering for winter ducks yesterday, especially as the high for the day was in the 30's, it actually felt like winter as we have been spoiled with a very mild winter this time around. I'm glad I can still fit into my warmest clothes and be comfy venturing out for cold adventures.
     While it wasn't as ducky as I wanted it to be at the beach, I was rewarded eventually, for my having to haul my much heavier self through the sand that always felt like it never had any good packed down sections to tread more easily. I did my adventuring at Jones Beach and then made a quick stop a Baisley Pond Park on my way home.
     Normally I despise the cold, but when it comes to birding, I love the coldest days because it keeps the crowds away. I had the entire beach to myself with the exception of one other person out walking, and the park police who drove out as I was leaving. Also, I think a good cold day out in nature is good for you. Keeps you invigorated! (just as long as you have good gear!)

My luck at the Coast Guard Station was not that great, very little waterfowl variety, a lot of brant.
Even the channel between West End and Point Lookout, very quiet.
So I hoped that I would see some eiders and/or harlequin ducks at the jetty.
And Yay!
I got a lovely group of a drake and a three hens.

They even made their funny little squeaky sounds!

The light was not in my favor but these ducks are STUNNERS.

They moved with the surf, diving for food, and often swimming in formation.

One hen even popped out onto a rock to feed. That was fun!
It also gives you a good look at how stocky their bodies are, which you do not get a sense for when they are swimming.

I was also super happy to see these two immature drake common eiders.
They have horse faces, and are just so interesting to look at. They also really like the jetty and feed on the shellfish that attch and grow on the rocks.

The adults are very stunning, this is definitely an ugly ducking ... or awkward teenager, type duck.
I still think they cute.

I was very excited to see a second drake harlequin joined the crew and as they dove, one of the two came up with a fish!
Of which I cannot identify.

The little fish put up a fight, the duck dropped it a few times, but it was incapacitated enough that just a dunk of the head allowed the duck to retrieve it.

The duck had to position the fish correctly to best send it down the chute.

And yum!

Finally, some light that works!

They handsome. The one in Brooklyn is cool, because he's cooperative, close and not a usual sight for Brooklyn.
But these grown up boys, they are hot.

And I also enjoyed the company of one female long-tailed duck from the area of the Jetty. I like these ducks too. They are deep divers and make funny noises.

They also cute. But tough. But cute.

The two drake harlequins together. So flashy!

I wanted a quick stop at Baisley Pond Park in Queens to enjoy the redheads and the plentiful ring-neck ducks.

With the light on the wrong side, they look so goth. I needed some ring-billed ducks for my year list. Trying to get to the easiest birds while I can as we creep closer to May, which I normally look forward to as warbler month, but this year, it is baby month.  At least babies can look up more easily from their stroller, no warbler neck for them!

A sure sign of the cold. All the little birds go round. This song sparrow looks unimpressed with the temperatures out there.