Unusual Ducks On The Ohio River

I have been reading reports on BirdKY of a White-winged Scoter hanging out on the Ohio River near the Jeffersonville, Indiana waterfront! I went down there in hopes of catching a glimpse of him/her. I was not disappointed, it was floating very close to the shore. I have seen various Scoters on the Ohio River in past winters, but I have never seen one so close to the shore. Usually, they are way out in the middle and not easy to get a picture of. 

Immature White-Winged Scoter

White-winged Scoters typically winter along the coastal waters and eastern Great Lakes. Every once in awhile they will stray further inland, and that's when we get a chance to see them in our area!

Immature White-Winged Scoter

There were also several other ducks in the area. There was a raft of about 9 Lesser Scaups, one female Ring-necked Duck and many Ring-billed Gulls!

Female Ring-necked Duck

Lesser Scaups (female on left & male on right)

Ring-Billed Gull



Posted in: BirdKY,Indiana,Jeffersonville,Lesser Scaups,Ohio River,Ring-Billed Gull,Ring-necked Duck,White-winged Scoter

Winter Snow and an Old Rock Wall

There is an old rock wall at the back of my property... along with a barbed wire fence to keep my neighbors cows off my property. I decided to venture outside after some new snow to capture this beautiful old rock wall and I found something new! FERNS! I hadn't noticed them before...

 Everything looks so pretty with a blanket of snow on it...

 



I'm thrilled with my new little find of something else to photograph... that is apparently hardy in the winter. So, bundle up and go out and explore nature... see what you can find!

Posted in: nature