Mallard Ducks at Fountain City Duck Pond - Part 2

He is strutting his stuff. Showing off for the girls.

Remember these were early spring and he was looking for a mate.

Oh, maybe he is headed to her now (not me).

Aren't they a nice pair?

I saved my favorite to the last. I know he has the color, but she is so pretty.

Mallard Ducks at Fountain City Duck Pond

The Fountain City Duck Pond is a landmark in Knoxville.When giving directions in the area the question is always asked

"Before the duck pond, or after the duck pond?"

Back in early March of this year I visited the duck pond with camera in hand,

and did capture some photos worth keeping.

Notice the reflection in this one, he appears to have his bill open,

but then he also appears to have 3 heads.

You can always click to enlarge for better viewing.

Muscovy Duck at Lake Seminole Park - February 2009

I see this Muscovy Duck at Lake Seminole Park everytime I visit.

But I only see one.

Hope he/she finds a mate this spring.

Ring Necked Duck at Tierra Verde

These Ring Necked Ducks were at the Tierra Verde

pond close to St Pete Beach in Florida. Taken in February 2009.
This trip was my first experience with ducks,
beyond Mallards and the common white ducks
at the local duck pond.

I was so excited to see so many different ducks
at these 2 ponds at an entrance to a subdivision.
Notice the photo below and the 2nd from the top
also have American Coots in the photos.

I haven't actually counted the different ducks we saw yet,

because I am still going through the photos

to see what all I did capture.

As always if I have the id wrong, please correct me.

Pie Billed Grebe

Jimmy first spotted these Pie Billed Grebe.He said there was something out there that keeps sinking

and then coming up on the other side of the pond.

After you see one of these,
that is what draws your attention to them.

The first 3 were taken at Tierra Verde pond in February 2009.

Then I came home and was at the "duck pond" as the Fountain City pond is referred to locally and that tell/tell sign of sinking caught my eye. I had to go and investigate it. Sure enough there it was right here in Tennessee too.

Mergansers - Common and Red Breasted

Mergansers - Common or Red Breasted. The first 3 photos were taken at the pond on Tierra Verde,

close to St Pete Beach in Florida.
I originally had all these photos grouped together.

But on closer inspection, I think I have the Red Breasted
in the top 3 photos, and the Common in the bottom 3 photos.

The bottom 3 photos were taken at Fort DeSoto Park,
also near St Pete Beach in Florida.

They were taken 3 days apart. Tierra Verde is the small

strip of land you travel to the Fort DeSoto Park.

I know the quality could be better, but I would still appreciate
any clarification of the correct identifications of these Mergansers.

American Coots at Tierra Verde

American Coots are similiar in appearance to the Common Moorhen, except the Moorhen has a red bill and the American Coots are white.

Think they must have had a lover's quarrel.

Northern Shoveler at pond on Tierra Verde

Last week I posted some ducks taken at the ponds on Tierra Verde. There are 2 ponds at the entrance to the subdivision.
One pond had lots of different ducks, but the other pond just had Northern Shovelers.

Both ponds have high grass around them, so it does make it harder to get the good photos.

Most of the ducks were new to me. Winter migration brought them to Florida, same as me. I was looking for warmer weather right along with them.

It was such a delight to see so many new birds, in the form of ducks.

Here you can see the grass is getting in the way of my photography.

Just got the one raising out of the water.

Greater Scaup at Tierra Verde

One of the days we were at the pond at Tierra Verde a local birder was very excited because she saw a Ruddy Duck. She told me it had white on it's face. So when I got these photos in the computer I thought I had captured the Ruddy Duck.

When I consulted my reference book none of the ducks I have photos of looked like the Ruddy Duck to me. I first thought I had all Lesser Scaup.

Then the 3rd photo made me think Greater Scaup.

As always please enlarge to help with the identification.

This post and the last may all be the same, if so probably Lesser Scaup.

Please see the previous post for the ones I thought were the Lesser Scaup.

I would appreciate any and all help with identifications, because usually the only ducks I see are Mallards and Common Moorhens.