A very small sampling of the massive amount of ducks in a tiny pond before you drive into Fort Desoto park. Some say there are thousands there. Most are redheads with a few ring necks and lesser scaup.
That coot in the middle was like “I’m tired of being surrounded by redheads. I’m outta here.”
Most were trying to sleep the morning I stopped by.
Many were preening and bathing.
A juvenile ring billed gull flies over the pond. Looks like no place to land on the water.
There were a few northern shovelers in the pond but they stayed in a group by themselves in the corner.
The “duck pond” before you drive into the park is always empty in the summer. In the winter it’s filled with migrating ducks. This winter seems like the most we’ve had. There wasn’t much room for another duck. Since I took these a couple of weeks ago, the redheads have moved to a lagoon across from the east beach turnaround at the park. It’s in front of the Sunshine Skyway bridge. People are estimating there could be as many as 10,000 there right now. They must have eaten all of the bugs in the pond so they had to move to find more bugs? Those redheads really are distinctive looking ducks. So pretty.
i would SO love to see one redhead in person, much less thousands!
WoW….what a sight, what a special moment!!
Wow. So many ducks in one place!
tons of red heads for sure. i would fit right in.
Oh I wish I was down there NOW to see all those guys! We won’t be there until April. They’ll probably be gone by then. Right?
I want to leave this minute for Ft DeSoto! Beautiful ducks — can’t imagine seeing that many at once.
All these duck images are pretty amazing but I like the MoM entry best of all. The golden light on the water really does give it a magical quality. Thank you for sharing on Mandarin Orange Monday:)
What beautiful birds! Have a fabulous week!
Liz (mlc)
Liz (yacb)
Wow! What an amazing group of redheads! We were excited recently to see one.