Wednesday, 6 March 2013

WIld Bird Wednesday 34: Out for a (Wood) Duck

Straight up, I feel the need to apologise for the title of this post - the last two have been cricket related and I could not resist one more truly appalling pun.  I promise thats the end - unless my plan to photograph bats tomorrow night yields fruit!

These birds are Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata).  They are neither rare, nor particularly shy, but they do turn up in some odd places.  This is the only duck on my garden list, as I once spotted a pair sat on the chimney pot of my house!

They are about 48 cm long and have a liking for fresh grass.  The males are the birds with the solid chocolate coloured heads, and the females have paler heads and stripes above and below the eyes.  These ducks nest in tree hollows near or over water.  One thing that I would dearly love to see in the chicks parachuting out of the nest. This happens very soon after they have emerged from the egg!






It was only as I was putting this post together that I noticed this birds tendency to put its head to one side in a rather attractivley photogenic fashion!  I think I like them all the more for doing that!

Now its your turn.

Click the link below and away you go.  Here is a challenge:  invite one other blogger to join in WBW this week!





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56 comments:

  1. Carole M.5 March 2013 at 22:29

    loving the wood ducks and especialy to get the pics of the ducklings was special. Can't see 'the link' tonight, will watch out for it later.

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  2. Kerri Farley5 March 2013 at 22:36

    Quite different from ours "over here" but always beautiful :)
    PS - I'm not seeing the linky either... I'll check back :)

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  3. Arija5 March 2013 at 22:51

    I love our wood ducks. For a couple of years they nested in a dead redgum in our farmyard. Unfortunately I missed the leap of faith. In the last few years, I have seen them only now and then on our dam. Hot, dry summers and drying dams are not the best place for waterbirds.
    So sorry I have nothing to post this week. Birds are few and far between in our parched garden and I cannot as yet access my stash of photos on the extinct computer.

    Being a cricket fan, I like your puns.

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  4. Vores have6 March 2013 at 02:04

    Great image series showing. The little ducklings are just so cute :)

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  5. Kenneth Cole Schneider6 March 2013 at 02:09

    Why that duck is turning its head because he is "paying ready attention" to you! Sorry that your cricket puns just go right over my head. Watching "Downton Abbey" did excite some interest in learning more about the sport, but I haven't acted upon it as yet. Wikipedia here I come!

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  6. Rajesh6 March 2013 at 02:10

    Lovely ducks.

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  7. EG CameraGirl6 March 2013 at 02:16

    They are indeed photgenic birds!

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  8. Anonymous6 March 2013 at 02:22

    The wood ducks pose is cute as can be and ducklings are adorable. Nice selection of shots Stewart.
    My thanks for hosting WBW.

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  9. TexWisGirl6 March 2013 at 02:30

    oh, they're adorable! love the chocolate brown heads and their head tilts. those bills are so small!

    their nesting and 'plummeting' is very similar to our wood ducks we get in the states.

    and ha ha to the bats and even bearing fruit. :) a whole 'nother pun set out of that, too.

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  10. HansHB6 March 2013 at 02:32

    As always, great serie of photos!

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  11. Optimistic Existentialist6 March 2013 at 02:39

    LOVE the ducklings :)

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  12. Karen6 March 2013 at 02:42

    What a sweet duck family!

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  13. Brian King6 March 2013 at 02:58

    These look nothing at all like our Wood Ducks, but they're just as beautiful! I love the browns and the chest pattern! Fantastic shots!

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  14. Hootin Anni6 March 2013 at 03:03

    I DO love the little ones...ducklings are so adorable!!

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  15. theconstantwalker6 March 2013 at 03:13

    Lovely ducks Stewart and who couldn't love those ducklings .

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  16. Johnny Nutcase6 March 2013 at 03:26

    baby ducks! One of my favorite things!! Love this post :)

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  17. Andrea @ From The Sol6 March 2013 at 03:28

    Very different than ours, but so beautiful in their own way. The female Wood Ducks all seem to have a sweet face and, of course, who doesn't love baby ducklings. Your pictures are wonderful as always and we will savor you as our Wild Bird "Pun-dit". Love it again, Stewart. Looking forward to your nest post.

    Andrea @ From The Sol

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  18. eileeninmd6 March 2013 at 03:45

    Stewart, the Australian Wood Duck is pretty! The chocolate head is pretty and I love the cute ducklings. It would be cool to see them parachuting out of the nest. Great shots, thanks for hosting!

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  19. Skye 6 March 2013 at 04:03

    Beautiful Duck! He has a short beak for a duck too. Great photos as usual! :)

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  20. Findlay Wilde6 March 2013 at 05:13

    These are lovely ducks. I've never had a duck on our chimney. From Findlay.

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  21. Gail Dixon6 March 2013 at 05:48

    This is why I adore WBW! I get to see birds that I would not ordinarily see. These are awesome birds with such interesting markings. One of these days you'll get the babes parachuting, I hope. Your photographs are superb!

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  22. ShySongbird6 March 2013 at 06:53

    A lovely selection Stewart. Ducks on the chimney??.....I just can't imagine that, well I can actually and it conjures up a very funny image ;-)

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  23. Carletta6 March 2013 at 06:57

    I like the soft chocolate colors of their feathers.
    Oh those little furry ducklings have won my heart!
    Maybe their head turns were to say, here Stewart this is my best side. :)
    Wonderful images!

    Best of luck with the bat watching.

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  24. Amanda6 March 2013 at 07:16

    So cute! I've had them on the chimney too! Last time I was at the pool a pair jumped in and I cursed myself for not thinking to put my googles on and seeing their feet paddling along.

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  25. mick6 March 2013 at 08:01

    Great photos of the Wood Ducks. It always surprises me how they manage to walk along the edge of the road and still stay safe.

    You have commented several times about sighting flags on the shorebirds - especially Victorian flags! In all the years I have watched shorebirds in this area I have only twice seen birds from down south. Once was a B.T.Godwit with an orange flag and once was a Ruddy Turnstone with all the flags usually put on those rather special birds (this one was reported immediately to the ones studying them). Check with your experts down your way but afaik your Victorian birds don't come this way. A lot of them come via northern W Aust. Of course vagrants are always possible - and I live in hopes!!

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  26. DIMI6 March 2013 at 08:30

    Hi Stewart!!Very beautiful ducks!!And the chicks ,looks cute!Excellent shots!!Thanks for sharing!Hope you have a lovely day!It's hot in Melbourne!!
    Dimi..

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  27. Anonymous6 March 2013 at 09:24

    those little ducklings are soooo precious!

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  28. Anonymous6 March 2013 at 11:14

    Great shots, Stewart. I love the ducklings.

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  29. Faythe6 March 2013 at 13:27

    lovely ducks! so different than ours here in WI. USA. my first visit, followed a link as we are avid bird watchers & feeding them takes us to the poor house, but we enjoy it! thanks for hosting!

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  30. Unknown6 March 2013 at 15:07

    They are very lovely!

    Love bats, hope you get lucky!

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  31. Gillian Olson6 March 2013 at 16:17

    Beautiful birds!

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  32. Anonymous6 March 2013 at 16:26

    These are really pretty ducks, the ducklings are adorable! And photogenic? What more could one ask of a duck?

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  33. Phil Slade6 March 2013 at 19:39

    I must admit Stewart. Identifying that duck had me stumped until I read the title and your commentary. Not one we have over here of course and I'm keeping fingers crossed our team don't suffer too many ducks this summer.

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  34. Gemma Wiseman6 March 2013 at 22:10

    Adore those fluffy little ones! So beautiful! And love the patterns and tones on these ducks!

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  35. Coloring Outside the Lines6 March 2013 at 22:25

    Very photogenic birds, such pretty ducklings & hey, I like your titles!

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  36. Richard Pegler7 March 2013 at 00:22

    Pretty birds, beautifully captured, Stewart!

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  37. ~~~jennifer~~~7 March 2013 at 01:49

    Those wood ducks are a cute bird. In the States our wood duck is different than that. I enjoy seeing birds that are new to me. Thanks for sharing & hosting.

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  38. Larry7 March 2013 at 02:06

    Beautiful ducks Stewart and the ducklings are so cute. As the saying goes, nothing cuter than a box of baby ducks!

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  39. Liz7 March 2013 at 02:47

    I absolutely love Wood Ducks... they did grow on me though!! They are everywhere up here but not so bold.
    I love those little chicks! I have yet to see the Wood Duck chicks. Perhaps I should take some time out from chasing yet unseen birds and investigate the local duck population!
    Beautiful shots, Stewart!!

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  40. Esther Joy7 March 2013 at 03:55

    Especially loved the little ducklings! I guess tiny creatures have a way of worming themselves into our hearts...

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  41. Mary Howell Cromer7 March 2013 at 04:33

    What marvelous captures, just wonderful! Hmm, wonder if you got any Bat images...haha. Have a great week and I look forward to your Raptor presentation~

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  42. A Colorful World7 March 2013 at 04:35

    I love this charming duck! The chocolate heads of the males are so pretty. But they are all lovely, male, female and ducklings! Cocking his head for the picture was too cute!

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  43. Flat Creek Farm7 March 2013 at 05:29

    Wood ducks are so beautiful and interesting. Lovely photos! Thanks to TexWisGirl for mentioning your blog and linky party in her recent post. I tried to link my slow-motion birds/feeder video up from last week.. but not sure it worked. If not, I'll try again next week. Can't wait to check out the other links. Thanks! -Tammy

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  44. Maude Lynn7 March 2013 at 07:17

    What beautiful ducks! I'm looking forward to the bats.

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  45. grammie g7 March 2013 at 12:16

    Hi Stewart... Your first shot is so cute the look your getting I think the duck was (paying ready
    attention ) that makes the shot..plus I love the pattern on the chest!!
    Ducklings are always a hit : )
    Grace

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  46. Sallie (FullTime-Life)7 March 2013 at 14:03

    I love wood ducks. I love your pictures. And of course you perhaps remember that I am rather fond of puns. So, a perfect post imho. Only thing wrong is that I don't have a little thumbnail picture under it. I'll be back.

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  47. Barbara7 March 2013 at 15:19

    My first time here - hopped over from Louisiana Belle and TexWis Girl. Beautiful series of these ducks!

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  48. Anonymous7 March 2013 at 16:51

    Those are some cute babies!

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  49. Vineeta Yashsavi7 March 2013 at 19:44

    Good shots but babies shot is extra lovely...

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  50. JDS8 March 2013 at 11:09

    I agree - the head-cocking makes them all the more photogenic!

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  51. Irma9 March 2013 at 01:41

    Beautiful photos of ducks Steward.
    You ask me if I want to do with the WBW is very difficult for me.
    My English is not very good, so I do not understand exactly what to do.
    I hope you understand.
    Greetings Irma

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  52. NatureFootstep9 March 2013 at 05:56

    it´s a beautiful duck. Can´t remember seeing any shot of them before. :)

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  53. Wally Jones9 March 2013 at 08:15

    Love the Wood Duck shots! The North American Wood Duck has quite a different appearance, but, interestingly, the chicks also "parachute" from the nest.
    I see these ducks are actually in the same scientific family, Anatidae.

    I was going to respond to your cricket pun, but trying to understand the game is too much of a sticky wicket for me.

    Have a good weekend! - Wally

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  54. Pat Tillett9 March 2013 at 17:55

    VERY pretty! I haven't seen that coloring before. Not on a duck anyway...

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  55. i stora drag9 March 2013 at 22:27

    Goodlooking ducks, I think, never seen them before. And very good photos of them.

    Thanks for your thoughts, I'm now again after my surgery.
    Greetings Pia

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  56. Not a Dog Person11 March 2013 at 08:42

    I gotta say, animals in Australia are a lot more interesting looking than up here. Even your ducks are neater looking.

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