Close encounters at the wetlands.

Yesterday afternoon we payed a short visit to Koll wetlands. As soon as we got out of the car and walked to the edge of the pond there was a red-tailed hawk that swooped down in a mudflat near a killdeer. When he saw us the hawk took flight. We were worried he grabbed one of the killdeer but he ended up only getting a talon full of weeds. Although he only got plants the killdeer were calling rapidly to one another; "Killdeer, Killdeer". They were calling to each other the whole time we were there. Since the killdeer were disoriented I was able to get a rare up close encounter with the bird!

Enjoy!

Hello Mrs. killdeer!

Cool! That's a pintail!

Mrs. killdeer again.

Pintail, a mallard and short-billed dowitchers.

Lots of wigeon!

More wigeon. Also a female Eurasian wigeon! (bottom left).

The male cinnamon teal.

Look who's coming in!

Huh?

Oh no!

Two red-tailed hawks!

Hello!

No don't go in the parking lot!

What?

I can't quite tell what these are.

Me walking up to the male killdeer didn't even phase him! This is not zoomed in!

Bird list for the visit:

• Killdeer
  
• Red-tailed hawk
• Canvasback
• Bufflehead
  
• Western Canada goose
• Cackling goose
• Norther pintail
• American wigeon
• Gadwall
• Mallard
• Great-blue heron
• American coot
• Ruddy duck
• Ring-necked duck
• Greater scaup
• Lesser scaup
• Green-winged teal
• Cinnamon teal
• Northern shoveler
• Eurasian wigeon
• Wilson's snipe
• Short-billed dowitcher
• Tree swallow
• Violet-green swallow
  

Have a great weekend!