[Leica] IMG: more Goldeneye ducks

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

> Friday morning I spent a few hours at the state fish hatchery at Nimbus 
> Dam, a
> few minutes from home.  The hatchery's water outflow often contains small 
> fish
> (or portions of fish), a fact not lost on the local birds.  A portion of 
> the
> outflow is let into a settling pond where it eventually makes its way 
> through
> percolation and direct flow to the American River, a few meters below the
> hatchery.
> 
> Many of the local birds consider the settling pond to be a prime feeding 
> area
> so among some species, the Common Goldeneye among them, 'turf' wars are 
> fought
> over the best locations.  Yesterday two pairs of Goldeneyes plus one 
> bachelor
> male staked claims to the pond.
> 
> When a neighboring Goldeneye gets too close to your claimed area, the first
> level of threat is to lower the head and aim toward the interloper:
> 
> http://wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/cogo04.html
> 
> Both male and female Goldeneyes use this threat posture, but if the 
> neighbor
> doesn't back off the male will go to level two threat, where he tosses his
> head back and makes a sound that is best described as a mix of a purr and a
> soft growl:
> 
> http://wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/cogo03.html
> 
> Note the female of this pair has maintained the level one threat posture.  
> A
> physical battle often takes place underwater which is out of the range of 
> my
> camera's design parameters.  Once the winner is decided (home court is a 
> big
> advantage) the loser makes a hasty retreat:
> 
> http://wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/cogo06.html
> http://wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/cogo07.html
> 
> which is followed by the winner's victory dance:
> 
> http://wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/cogo05.html
> 
> all photos: R8/DMR, 560mm f/6.8 Telyt, shoulder stock & monopod.  All 
> comments
> welcome.
> 
> 
> Doug Herr
> Birdman of Sacramento
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com
> 
> 
Be great to click on the pic and have the bird sound you'll have that all
worked out for next time right Doug!

I've looked up bird sounds on the internet before.
You can get them for your cell phone.

Mark William Rabiner