The teals tend to gather in large numbers this time of year leading up to the duck hunting season when numbers will tend to dwindle. They like to feed in the river estuaries when the tide is low and often congregate in fresh water ponds at high tide to rest and preen.
From this Spring, a pair of Wood Ducks in an amorous mood. There are still a few juvenile Wood Ducks in the area but I haven't been able to get out to check other locations. Now that the travel ban on woods travel has been lifted maybe I'll get a chance to get out and take some new photos.
As the title suggests these photos were taken a year ago today at Blanche Point, Shelburne County NS. At the time it was probably the most photographed owl in Nova Scotia being the rarity that it was. I had some time alone with it, only going on a chance conversation that it was still there. Often I get disappointed when chasing rare birds so don't often bother. This was an exception and the owl wasn't hard to find.
Named for its white rump, obviously. Where many sandpipers have a dark dividing patch in the middle of that area, this species along with a few others has an all white rump. Generally this feature isn't seen unless the bird is in flight.
Generally when Spotted Sandpipers are vocal and approachable they have young ones somewhere nearby. I believe that was the case in this instance.
Dowitchers are known for their sewing-machine like feeding habit as their bills probe the soft mud and sand in the areas they habituate. Apparently the name comes from an Iroquois word although another explanation has it that it may be a corruption of a word used by immigrant German hunters on Long Island - deutscher referring to it as German Snipe to distinguish it from the English (Common) Snipe.
