'Tis the season...for duck photography

 The ducks have been forming huge rafts on the bay before flying south so I hoped there would be some variety at Silver Lake. I had both my Covid and Flu vaccines at the same time on Friday (I have since learned, in a phone conversation with Nicky, that, according to her naturapath, this is not a good thing to do to your body), was achy and lethargic all day Saturday but decided a walk would get me moving again on Sunday.

Taking the camera with me when I walk an area that I have walked many times before, keeps me interested and therefor likely to walk longer.

Plenty of Mallards around.

New Olympic Sport - synchronized dabbling.

 

Way on the other side of the lake

really too far for my point and shoot to get a clear photo, Buffleheads.

At this point I came across a woman with a much better camera than me. "Are you a birder too" she said and I replied "No, I can't identify them until I get them back on my computer, but I like taking pictures of them"

"Well those are Green-winged Teal" she said 

 

and I took her word for it

though I couldn't see a green wing on any of them.

She also said there were 2 Wimbrels on the mudflats but they must have flown before I got there.

I continued around the lake.

A really chatty Squirrel

but not much bird life at this end.

There are benches placed all around the lake

and every now and then I would sit and just enjoy the sun and the quiet.

The native plant area was all in seed

and most of the leaves are on the ground.

I turned round and rejoined my new birding friend. Yes, there is a blue patch on that ones wing!

The peace was disturbed and many of the ducks flew off as a Bald Eagle flew overhead

and landed in the far side of the lake.

She left one of her cameras on a bench and we both hurried along the shore

to get closer. We wondered if he had caught something

but I think he had just landed to take a drink.

We both clicked away like crazy and then he flew up into a tree. I drove, then parked and walked but couldn't get close and eventually scared him off.

I was taking pictures through bush here but - Hooded Mergansers

and more Buffleheads.