The amazing diving duck bird

[bobpbx]

Who could resist a nature walk with this morning's weather? Not me! I was at Dover Forge and saw a couple interesting things. I rounded the corner at the backwater slough that is there, and I saw what looked like a black duck. He was darker than midnite, and kind of glossy. I thought maybe we had an oil splill. He was just floating along with turtle heads all around him. That place has some big ones. Next, he dives under, and he does not reappear! I waited 5 minutes. What kind of duck does that? Anyone know?

Then, on my way out, my dog flushed a woodcock right next to me. He flew about 4 feet and plopped down. Buddy ran to him. Then he flew onto the road about 10 yards away, and started flapping his wings and walking crooked, like he was drunk. Buddy started after him but I made him stay with me. I looked in the weeds where he first flew up, and I saw 2 woodcock chicks, hunkered down. Now I know what Ms. Woodcock was doing, playing the decoy! Very smart!

 

[dragoncjo]

The behavior to me sounds like a loon. I saw a red throated loon last week and he would dive under and reappear like 100 ft away maybe more. The coloring sounds odd though. Google common loons or red throated loons one of those may be the duck.

 

[bobpbx]

Yes, the beak and head are exactly the same. It must have been the light on me getting the color wrong. thanks.......

 

[Teegate]

A loon for sure. In Vermont where I vacation they do just as you said, and they can go an extremely long distance underwater and fast.

Two years ago the people next door in Vermont chased after a loon on their jet ski while the loon had his mouth full of food. It tried to outrun the jet ski but the weight of the food slowed him down so he dropped it. A man staying at my relatives house called the cops on the driver and the state police came to question me about it. That incident caused so much controversy with my relative, the man, my family, and the police, we had to leave early to come home to remove ourselves from the incident which was causing a riff between the three groups who witnessed it.

Guy

 

[dragoncjo]

Was it a common or red-throated? Did it still have its winter plummage gray on white?

 

[NJSnakeMan]

Yeah, diving ducks are sweet. At a pond near my house a big flock of about 12-20 ring-necked ducks wintered out. They also dived for their food.

I was herping out near Lake Lenape thursday with my friend Andrew, we ran within 15-20 feet of a Turkey! I never got so close to one, and was surprised she allowed us to. She got started and flew across the trail to the left side, and that's when we relized she had babies tagging along with her, so we left her alone and we saw from afar they met back together.

 

[BEHR655]

Next, he dives under, and he does not reappear! I waited 5 minutes. What kind of duck does that? Anyone know?

Some ducks "dabble". That is to put their head under with their but up in the air. Some ducks dive. What you saw was probably a loon though if it stayed down that long.

Then he flew onto the road about 10 yards away, and started flapping his wings and walking crooked, like he was drunk. Buddy started after him but I made him stay with me. I looked in the weeds where he first flew up, and I saw 2 woodcock chicks, hunkered down. Now I know what Ms. Woodcock was doing, playing the decoy! Very smart!

That is exactly what she was doing.

 

[dragoncjo]

why we are on the subject of birds. Today I was out and saw a summer tanager are these a common occurence around the pines? I took a double take at because it looked like a tropical bird. Unfortunately I had just gotten out of my jeep and couldn't get to my camera in time.

 

[woodjin]

I don't know. I spent alot of time with loons in Maine one summer and I've never seen, or more likely heard one in NJ. Maybe they might stop through in winter, but I doubt they would be around in the spring. Bob, are you sure it wasn't a cormorant. I see them all the time when I pass through country Lakes and I see them fishing in Lebanon Lake 24/7.

Jeff

 

[bobpbx]

why we are on the subject of birds. Today I was out and saw a summer tanager are these a common occurence around the pines? I took a double take at because it looked like a tropical bird. Unfortunately I had just gotten out of my jeep and couldn't get to my camera in time.

No, definitely not. I saw one this year too and I also did a double take. First one I have ever seen.

 

[bobpbx]

I don't know. I spent alot of time with loons in Maine one summer and I've never seen, or more likely heard one in NJ. Maybe they might stop through in winter, but I doubt they would be around in the spring. Bob, are you sure it wasn't a cormorant. I see them all the time when I pass through country Lakes and I see them fishing in Lebanon Lake 24/7.

Jeff

It could have been, they have very similar features. When I googled up comorant look at the place I found. Wild huh?

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...ev=/images?q=comorant&svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&sa=N

 

[ecampbell]

Sounds like a cormorant. Barnegat Bay is loaded with them.

Who could resist a nature walk with this morning's weather? Not me! I was at Dover Forge and saw a couple interesting things. I rounded the corner at the backwater slough that is there, and I saw what looked like a black duck. He was darker than midnite, and kind of glossy. I thought maybe we had an oil splill. He was just floating along with turtle heads all around him. That place has some big ones. Next, he dives under, and he does not reappear! I waited 5 minutes. What kind of duck does that? Anyone know?

Then, on my way out, my dog flushed a woodcock right next to me. He flew about 4 feet and plopped down. Buddy ran to him. Then he flew onto the road about 10 yards away, and started flapping his wings and walking crooked, like he was drunk. Buddy started after him but I made him stay with me. I looked in the weeds where he first flew up, and I saw 2 woodcock chicks, hunkered down. Now I know what Ms. Woodcock was doing, playing the decoy! Very smart!

 

[dragoncjo]

I'm not sure where dover forge is but here is the red throated loon I saw. This was a week ago and he was on a huge blue hole pond about 15 minutes from the bay. I know they are reported along the coast on large lakes, even up until the last couple weeks.

 

[woodjin]

Hmmm, okay, I guess they really hug the coast line. Dover forge is relatively close to the bay. More than 15 minutes I think though. Bob would know better.

Jeff