I went to Riverside Park in the mid to late afternoon today in order to photograph waterfowl. Mallards dominated the flocks but there were some Trumpeter Swans and a few geese. I took some landscapes but I will post those later. Initially, here are a few studies of waterfowl.
Click on any image for a full-size view:
Notes:
Trumpeter Swan –
This is an interesting Trumpeter Swan. It has a white body and an adult-like black bill. But the head and upper neck has the grayish-brown feathering of a juvenile which usually stay grayish until late spring. I think this is what is referred to as the formative plumage in terms of feathering but the beak seems well-advanced. This bird is ahead of the pack in terms of molt.
Flock –
One of the regular park visitors arrived with a bag of grain and caused havoc. I have mixed feelings about the practice which happens in winter almost everywhere I think. There is a substantial body of literature about the negative effects of feeding waterfowl and it is generally not necessary for them to survive.