I spotted this awesome duck in the Thames River on my way to work last week! It dove under water for a bit and I grabbed my camera out of my knapsack (I always carry my camera with me) and waited for it to re-emerge. Unfortunately I don't have the strongest zoom and this was the best shot I got. I had never seen a duck like this before. I went home and tried to find it in my bird book (Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Birds), the closest that I could find was the Old Squaw Duck (re-named Long Tailed Duck) but this bird is in its winter plumage and the photo in the book was not, but the description was pretty accurate, but the range is Northern Canada and the Arctic tundra! Does this bird come this far south? I emailed the London Free Press wildlife columnist, who passed me on to someone at the McIlwraith Naturalist Society and he confirmed my identification and said it does come this far south in the winter, but not often spotted in London. Isn't that so cool? I feel so lucky that I saw such a rare sight.
And in quilting news... I finished my Red Star top. Welcome new UFO! May you be finished sometime this year!ha! I have also started handquilting 9 Lives and more piecing on my secret project.
4 comments:
I love your red star quilt.
What luck getting a picture of that duck. One time while I was out delivering mail I saw a red-tail hawk. I thought it was so cool. I looked for it every day after that and never saw it again. I know that they are common in this area but to see one right up there in this tree maybe 10 feet away from me. I wish I had my camera then.
Really great star quilt!!
A gorgeous bird! You were so lucky to catch a photo of it. I always carry my camera with me, too, but so many photos have escaped while I rush to dig it out of the bag.
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