On a casual stroll around Quidi Vidi Lake today, I saw several interesting birds. Before even getting out of the car, I noticed two bald eagles sitting on the centre of the frozen lake. Eagles are such a common sight here in winter, that it puzzles me that some people still manage to overlook them.
Bald eagles – Quidi Vidi Lake
Next up was a peregrine falcon, it was perched in a high tree and did not object to getting its picture taken:
Peregrine falcon – Quidi Vidi Lake
After that came a duck. Yes a duck. I know ducks do not immediately come to mind when thinking of ‘special birds’, but this male wood duck passes the test ‘swimmingly’:
Wood duck – Quidi Vidi Lake
To finish off the list, there were several cormorants swimming around and sitting on the edge of the ice. To my surprise, 6 people came up to me (separately) when I was taking this picture, asking me what kind of birds they were! Apparently this locally quite common bird is not well known:
Just a couple of plain old cormorants – Quidi Vidi Lake
newfoundsander 
Aaargh, Mr and Mrs Commarant out for a Sunday stroll. But the male wood duck takes the prize. What a beauty of a shot and Oh, so handsome. Thanks for such beautiful pictures. Bess
Yes it is a handsome duck, a lot of people were delighted to see it. I suppose perhaps in Massachusetts, you see them more often? They are said to be present there all year long.
Awesome pictures! You are certainly right that most people are indifferent to the many wonderful birds here. The same is true for our local flora and fauna. I wish more parents would take the time to teach their children how to identify different birds, plants, and so on. Nature deficit disorder-it is so sad. I spotted a kingfisher in Chapel’s Cove yesterday, a couple of hundred starlings on a wire in C.B.S., and a lone cormorant on the pier in Holyrood. There really is a lot to see!
That’s an interesting name for it Michelle, ‘nature deficit disorder’, and it’s a common ‘affliction’ all around the world unfortunately…
Still, after yesterday at least 6 more people know a Cormorant when they see one 🙂
And good on you for spotting the Kingfisher, fantastic little birds aren’t they?
Your Wood Duck is here in Holland called Carolina Duck. But only in parks and gardens they are. Sometimes only one escaped. But beautiful they are.
Yes exactly, I immediately recognized the duck as a ‘fancy park duck’ 😉