You can tell it's a male by the pale eye and all black bill. Females have a dark eye and a lower mandible that has some orange. This guy was keeping company with a female Common Merganser although there was a female hooded in the area as well. Possibly another juvenile since they seem to be travelling together.
Or maybe they didn't leave, I'm sure a few probably overwinter. These are the first Wood Ducks I've seen since the Fall. March 16.
I don't get to photograph these guys very often. I'm always happy when I can find one that doesn't immediately bolt when it sees me.
American Robins are having a hard time in this province in recent weeks. More than the usual number of birds have tried to over winter this year. In the Fall and early Winter there was probably more than enough natural food sources to keep them from starving. In the last few weeks however there has been more snow and freezing temperatures and most of he berry crop has been consumed by now. I have watched Robins consuming wild rose hips which they have a difficult time swallowing and then regurgitate a large portion of. With Spring approaching lets home the ground starts to thaw and they are able to begin feeding on earthworms again.
These were all taken on February 6. Same general area as the last Common Merganser photos but a different location with more distant background.
I think this is a hen, the juvenile Males can look very similar although the males can have what looks like a black-eye as the green feathers of the adult males start to appear around the eye. This bird was mixed in with a number of Common Mergansers.
