May 5, 2019: More Friends Return

More of our friends are returning home from their winter haunts, some that came by car or plane, and some that flew back on their own wings.

A Great Blue Heron on the wing

Many others joined the herons, buffleheads, and osprey back in New Hampshire this week including Wood Ducks and Ring-necked ducks.

A pair of Ring-necked ducks at a rest stop in New Hampshire

Mr. Ring-necked.  The neck ring is rarely seen, but the white beak line is distinguishing.

Mrs. Ring-necked also has a white beak line, though it's more subtle.

Ring-neckeds don't breed in New Hampshire, but "of all the diving duck species, the Ring-necked Duck is most likely to drop into small ponds during migration."  [REF:  Cornell Lab of Ornithology]

The handsome wood ducks do nest here, and they made their first appearance of the year as well.

Mr. and Mrs. Woody

As you can tell, it was a good week for ducks - lots of mist and rain.  But at least it was calm.  One morning a few ducks heard me and decided it was time to move on, and all I saw were the markings they left on the runway after takeoff.

Earlier in the week in a rare dry moment I did catch a pair of ducks in flight.

The coloring of the two birds makes me think this was another pair of ring-necked ducks.

And although there were loon reports even before ice out, I had my first sighting this week, but no pictures yet.  Based on the behavior of the loon I saw, I'm thinking this is the rogue loon that has spent the last few summers all alone in Marion Cove.  We are all anxious to see if we'll have two pairs of nesting loons return for a second time this year.

I'll give you early notice of an event the Meredith Conservation Commission is hosting in a few weeks.  On June 1st at 7:00am there will be a guided bird walk on the recently protected Page Pond property along Barnard Ridge Road in Meredith.  The walk will be led by Matthew Tarr, Wildlife Specialist for the UNH Cooperative Extension.  Of course there are no guarantees, but I have observed a wide range of birds in the diverse environment of wetlands, fields and forests on the property, and with Matt's expert guidance, I expect we'll see plenty.  You can find more information on the Conservation Commission website.