Ducks in the City

The majority of waterways in Pennsylvania are frozen up tight, as are most of the northeastern states, aside from a few small pockets here and there. Luckily for birders, one stretch of open water along the Susquehanna River is near the mouth of the Conodoquinet Creek where the West Fairview boat launch is located. This location is a birding hotspot throughout the year; well-known for being a great place to view waterfowl. Right now that is especially true, with at least 14 species of waterfowl foraging in the narrow strip of open water! Canvasback, Redhead, Common Goldeneye, and all three mergansers have been common and cooperative for photos, plus a male Long-tailed Duck has been making appearances. For the past two evenings, I have been hunkering down in the cold behind a mound of snow-covered ice near the edge of the river and photographing ducks as they forage along the ice shelf and fly around the area. This has resulted in some of my best photographs of species that can be very difficult to get close to normally. Below are some of my favorite shots from the past two days…

Canvasback (male) in flight above the West Fairview boat launch. (Photo by Alex Lamoreaux)

Canvasback (male) in flight above the West Fairview boat launch. (Photo by Alex Lamoreaux)

Bufflehead (male) landing near me at West Fairview. (Photo by Alex Lamoreaux)

Bufflehead (male) landing near me at West Fairview. (Photo by Alex Lamoreaux)