Long-tailed ducks

[vaneramos]

For bird enthusiasts, here's a photo of the Long-Tailed Ducks, Clangula hyemalis, Danny and I saw at Leslie Street Spit on Saturday morning. To see a larger resolution version, click the image to go to the Flickr page, then click "ALL SIZES" above the photo. You can just see the male's distinctive long tail feather, which whips out of the water when the bird dives. Unfortunately the bronze wing feathers don't show up, but the face markings are evident. Strangely, the bird's winter plumage is much more striking. Too bad I didn't get a photo of them with the pair of Greater Scaups nearby, which were lovely, too. At that moment I was too excited to pay them any attention.

Comments

[bixie.livejournal.com]

excellent!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

:-)

[leafshimmer.livejournal.com]

Lovely.

I was wondering recently; now that you're a working lad like the rest of us, are your beautiful walks to the banks of the Eramosa river a thing of the past?

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Not a thing of the past, but definitely a rarity. Actually they have been dwindling for quite some time, ever since I started keeping myself busier with volunteer work more than a year ago. Did you catch my "toad song" post a couple days ago? That was my first visit to the river since March.

But I'm finding my drive to and from work, half an hour each way through quiet countryside, to be a comparatively profound experience. At least it is bringing me in touch with other aspects of the land I so love. I was thinking on the way home today: I am one who wants to get to know a place well, in all its seasons, humours and qualities of light. For this season of my life, County Road 28 has somewhat replaced the Eramosa River, but the two are cousins. Each morning I cross from land that feeds the Eramosa to land that feeds the Speed River, and each afternoon I return. My ways are moving outward. It is an adventure.