American Male Wigeon by Val Lee
I photographed these dabbling American beauties in Albertson’s Park in downtown Boise, Idaho. These unusual drakes are truly the eye-catchers. Their extraordinary black enhanced eyes grab your attention. It appears as if they applied make-up to their doll-like dark peepers to give that finishing touch.
Wigeon Couple by Val Lee
“Baldpate” is another distinguishing name for these beauties, as the males own a white stripe that moves upward from the top of the beak to the middle of their head. This stripe shines brightly when the sun hits it. I love the thick lovely green eye iridescent (speculum) shadowing of the male that travels back beyond the eye. The rest of the head and upper neck are intensely speckled with black. Breast, sides and flanks are a brown mauve—unusual hue for a duck. Belly and sides are bright white. In flight, a white shoulder patch is distinct. The hen is encased in varying shades of patterned brown and displays creamy white streaks. Her floating hidden abdomen is white. She also bears lovely eyes and possesses a brownish black crown displaying creamy white streaks. Both sexes own pale blue beaks with dabs of black that make them vivid. God is certainly a remarkable colorful artisan and designer. We can never afford Him too much praise!
American Wigeons love dabbling—diving for food. You often just view their tails as they commonly pose in a flip-down position. Their diet consists of seeds, plants, fruits, dragonflies, damselflies, beetles, midges, horseflies, and caddisflies.
Here is a video I shot of a swimming American Wigeon:
Their flight patterns are irregular, this being true of most dabbling ducks. The breeding range is from the Bering Sea to the Hudson Bay, from the edge of the tundra south to the southern prairies. This winger winters in the Pacific Northwest, through the central valleys of California, Atlantic coast (south of Massachusetts), southern Louisiana as well as the southern high plains of Texas to New Mexico.
Male and Female Wigeon by Val Lee
Hens will hide nests in areas bearing brush, usually far from water, in dense cover such as tall grass or low shrubs. Nesting occurs mid to late May—very late. Initially, nests start as a simple structure. Upon laying, the hen will add down and other materials to the nest. Clutch size is 3 to 12 eggs—one egg laid daily. Total incubation time from the period the last egg is layed, is 22 to 25 days. Hens spend 87% of their day incubating, taking an average of two recesses for about three hours. Ducklings are able to walk and feed themselves upon hatching, and are lead to water within 24 hours.
We know Jesus Christ watches over these creatures that He has remarkably made: “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight.” (Luke 12:6; cf. Matthew 10:29, and Colossians 1:13-19)
See more at Val’s Looking Glass.
Lee
Val Lee
GuestWriter
a j mithra
Ian
