Another Oddball (pics included)

[hobbydog]

Definitly some park duck in this one but it sure is pretty.

Not sure what this is suppose to be.

[Dotch]

Quote:

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Not sure what this is suppose to be.

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Think some of the last two used to dump under the baler, too...lol! You're right, the duck is very pretty. Goose looks like a crossed up domestic goose of several pedigrees, including possibly Embden (white color on belly, heavy body), Toulouse (gray, heavy body) and African (head) or Chinese (neck). Are the goose pics both of the same bird?

[Tom Wilson]

Hobby--I see you were in my neck of the woods this morning.

Tom W

[hobbydog]

How can you tell

The sun was good early but clouded over. Even then I just sat there for a couple hours. The ducks and geese were rotating in and out all morning. Nothing like watching 50 mallards at a time drop out of the sky.....over and over.

Do you recognize these guys? Not a great pic as the sun was done but lots of bling.

[buzzsaw]

guys, I think I may have spent three hours in your neck of the woods this morning as well.

This was really my first time out with the new camera and I left the tripod at home so I tried to be as steady as possible...without that image stabilizer lens it is a challenge! I was using that Sigma 70-300mm lens... I saw Bald Eagles, Osprey, Red Tailed Hawks, Gulls of all varieties (A DNR official was there looking for a rare Gull that was spotted the day before... from Iceland or something wierd)??? Mallards, Bufflehead, Hooded Mergansers, one Redhead or Can... wasn't sure from the distance, plus it was a hen. Geese up the waazoo!! Great sun in the morning until about 11:00 and then it was time to check out. I'll bring the tri-pod next time and am thinking of going jumbo on my next lens.

[The_Duckslayer]

Awesome picture of the geese on the foggy water (#2). All great pictures, thanks for sharing! Have a good one and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[Steve Foss]

Way to go Buzz! There is an Iceland gull, which is sometimes seen in the continental United States, but not commonly. Any sighting of one in the Midwest will bring local and area birders out to add it to their life lists. They've mostly been seen on the Great Lakes and along a few major Midwest rivers like the Mississippi.

[buzzsaw]

I didn't know that was the bird that the DNR officials and local birders were talking about!! There were alot of people down in that area on Saturday and Sunday morning and thats all they were talking about. The Minnesota River Valley is a great place to take photos thats for sure!!