Cuteness runs amock in Viera

HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
edited September 28, 2007 in Wildlife
Hi y'all,

Nancy's moorhens are cute but the mother lode of cuteness can be found with our black-bellied whistling ducks (henceforth referred to BBWDs because its a pain to type the whole name out).

The one parent checks out the scene.
199974452-O.jpg

then it chases all the other ducks away
199974399-O.jpg

when the area is cleared of potential miscreants the other parent bring the brood out from cover
199974495-O.jpg

199974458-O.jpg

199974516-O.jpg

Its exciting to see them back with their young. They haven't produced any young one during the last two seasons.

This pair started out with 12 ducklings and they seem to be down to 9 right now. They have a high mortality rate. The first year I saw them with ducklings they started out with 12 youngsters and two parents and by the end of the season they were down to one parent and one duckling. The next year a pair had 14 ducklings and ended the season with 6 surviving ducklings.
Harry
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"

Comments

  • jonh68jonh68 Registered Users Posts: 2,711 Major grins
    edited September 24, 2007
    Awwww!
    www.jonimages.com
  • flygirlflygirl Registered Users Posts: 177 Major grins
    edited September 24, 2007
    Harry, what can I say, but of course awesome!!!!clap.gifclap.gif

    see ya soon
    All the best:thumb
    Nancy
    www.naturesportal.net
    www.naturesportal.blogspot.com
    Home of The Quick Action Harness
    www.quickactionharness.com
  • ShasocShasoc Registered Users Posts: 691 Major grins
    edited September 24, 2007
    Very nice set of good looking duck family. I hope they all make it. The last shot is my favorite.
    Socrate
    "Natura artis magistra"
  • BBiggsBBiggs Registered Users Posts: 688 Major grins
    edited September 24, 2007
    Nice Harry! I like the second photo the most :D
    Brenton
    http://www.alluringnatureimages.com/
  • dbaker1221dbaker1221 Registered Users Posts: 4,482 Major grins
    edited September 24, 2007
    good captures Harry..........what are all those bumble bees doing in the waterne_nau.gif
    **If I keep shooting, I'm bound to hit something**
    Dave
  • GaleGale Registered Users Posts: 1,052 Major grins
    edited September 25, 2007
    They are adorable Harry.
    I could not get a clear shot of them .. To far for me.
    Glad you got some.
    Adorable images
    Thanks

    thanks for a great time also

    See ya soon
    Best Regards
    Gale

    www.pbase.com/techwish
  • Ric GrupeRic Grupe Registered Users Posts: 9,522 Major grins
    edited September 25, 2007
    I've heard tell about the 'birds and the bees". Was the daddy a bumble bee!? mwink.gifD

    Very nice catch, Harry.thumb.gif

    Edit: I thought I was being original...I see Dave beat me to the punch...must be something in this northern air...or perhaps the northern pipe!
  • TentacionTentacion Registered Users Posts: 940 Major grins
    edited September 25, 2007
    Nice shots Harry, yeah it bites huh? The law of nature can be really demanding and hard. I just hope it was nature and not some fool poachers or is that hunters??
    You're only as good as your next photo....
    One day, I started writing, not knowing that I had chained myself for life to a noble but merciless master. When God hands you a gift, he also hands you a whip; and the whip is intended solely for self-flagellation...I'm here alone in my dark madness, all by myself with my deck of cards --- and, of course, the whip God gave me." Truman Capote
  • GiphsubGiphsub Registered Users Posts: 2,662 Major grins
    edited September 25, 2007
    No 2 is a winner! thumb.gif Looks like something out of a warner brothers cartoon! All very cute .
    Mike Helbig

    http://www.michaelhelbigphotography.com
    http://www.thewildpig.blogspot.com
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited September 25, 2007
    jonh68 wrote:
    Awwww!

    they are kind of cute
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • FabsFabs Registered Users Posts: 97 Big grins
    edited September 25, 2007
    I'm glad we have newcomersclap.gif
    www.avianscapes.com

    Blog at: http://web.mac.com/fabs5
    on location video clips
  • Trish323Trish323 Registered Users Posts: 908 Major grins
    edited September 25, 2007
    Harry,
    Looks like you got the cuteness factor capturedclap.gif nice! maybe we can play one day this week?
    Trish
  • Osprey WhispererOsprey Whisperer Registered Users Posts: 3,803 Major grins
    edited September 25, 2007
    By the sounds of it you have been smoozin' a harem of women at these shoots. How do you get any WORK done? :D Keep up the good work ROMEO. thumb.gif
    Mike McCarthy

    "Osprey Whisperer"

    OspreyWhisperer.com
  • raptorcaptorraptorcaptor Registered Users Posts: 3,968 Major grins
    edited September 25, 2007
    Well they are darn cute! Nice set Harry! clap.gif
    Glenn

    My website | NANPA Member
  • MaestroMaestro Registered Users Posts: 5,395 Major grins
    edited September 25, 2007
    Black-bellied whistling ducks right? Nice captures!
    Stephen
    www.capture-the-pixel.com

  • PrescottPhotogPrescottPhotog Registered Users Posts: 1,174 Major grins
    edited September 26, 2007
    Harryb wrote:
    Hi y'all,

    Nancy's moorhens are cute but the mother lode of cuteness can be found with our black-bellied whistling ducks (henceforth referred to BBWDs because its a pain to type the whole name out)

    Hi Harry. Let me add my "awwwww" too. Nice shots and commentary. It's sad to see the little ones not survive.
    '
    Prescott Photog, Chris - " One Shot, One Still "
    '
    Canon CPS Member
    SmugMug Pro User - www.PrescottOutdoors.net
    NAPP Member..Click for Info
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited September 26, 2007
    flygirl wrote:
    Harry, what can I say, but of course awesome!!!!clap.gifclap.gif

    see ya soon

    Thanks Nancy, see ya Saturday. wave.gif
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited September 26, 2007
    Shasoc wrote:
    Very nice set of good looking duck family. I hope they all make it. The last shot is my favorite.

    Thaks Socrate, I'm hoping they make it too.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited September 26, 2007
    BBiggs wrote:
    Nice Harry! I like the second photo the most :D

    Thank you very much.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • livinginozlivinginoz Registered Users Posts: 497 Major grins
    edited September 26, 2007
    Harryb wrote:
    they are kind of cute

    are they native to the southern area? i just love the look of them.

    having lost 6 of a group of 8 of ours who insist on crossing the road to the hayfield across (the grass is always greener?)....i hate to hear of missing ducks.....
    laurie in rural minnesota

    my stuff
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited September 26, 2007
    dbaker1221 wrote:
    good captures Harry..........what are all those bumble bees doing in the waterne_nau.gif

    The first time I saw them I immediately thought they looked like large bumble bees. Thanks Dave.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited September 26, 2007
    Gale wrote:
    They are adorable Harry.
    I could not get a clear shot of them .. To far for me.
    Glad you got some.
    Adorable images
    Thanks

    thanks for a great time also

    See ya soon

    Thanks Gale. The next time we see them we'll put your camera on my 500mm and get you out there with them. deal.gif
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited September 26, 2007
    Ric Grupe wrote:
    I've heard tell about the 'birds and the bees". Was the daddy a bumble bee!? mwink.gifD

    Very nice catch, Harry.thumb.gif

    Edit: I thought I was being original...I see Dave beat me to the punch...must be something in this northern air...or perhaps the northern pipe!

    Not to worry Ric, the bumble bee thing happens all the time. Its really effective when they are in the plants because they do blend in.

    Thanks.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited September 27, 2007
    Tentacion wrote:
    Nice shots Harry, yeah it bites huh? The law of nature can be really demanding and hard. I just hope it was nature and not some fool poachers or is that hunters??

    Thanks and it was nature and not poachers or hunters. They would stand out like the proverbial sore thumb in Viera.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited September 27, 2007
    Giphsub wrote:
    No 2 is a winner! thumb.gif Looks like something out of a warner brothers cartoon! All very cute .

    Thank you very much.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited September 28, 2007
    Fabs wrote:
    I'm glad we have newcomersclap.gif

    Yeah, its always exciting to see our newest additions. :D
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited September 28, 2007
    Bird Man Photographer wrote:
    By the sounds of it you have been smoozin' a harem of women at these shoots. How do you get any WORK done? :D Keep up the good work ROMEO. thumb.gif

    It ain't easy Mike, great hearing from ya again. wave.gif
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
Sign In or Register to comment.