Winged Wednesday 12/6/2023

[Eric Gofreed]

My contributions to Today's Winged Wednesday are members of the Rallidae family, coots, rails, gallinule, and swamphens to name a few. Most of the members prefer wetlands with dense vegetation. Part 2 next week.

Common Gallinule

Sora

Virginia Rail

Australasian swamphen: The adult is scolding a juvenile. In New Zealand, it is known as the pūkeko.

The South Island takahe is a large flightless swamphen indigenous to New Zealand. The current population is about 500 birds. The Takahe were thought to be extinct in the 1890s. Fortunately, a few Takahe were discovered on a remote New Zealand Island in 1948. Conservation efforts are ongoing and have been a huge success.

 

[KevinA]

Excellent start Eric. Here's a few from me

Wattled Jacana, Jacana jacana Tobago

White-breasted Waterhen, Amaurornis phoenicurus Singapore

Grey-headed Swamphen, Porphyrio poliocephalus Goa India

Coot, Fulica atra England

Water Rail, Rallus aquaticus England

 

[Ken Rennie]

I hope that I haven't posted these before. Baby Coots rank very low on the "cute" scale. Ken

 

[Trent Watts]

A few in this family from me.

A 'fleet' of American Coots near Vancouver, B.C.

An American Coot on the river in Saskatoon.

Eurasian Moorhen in Scotland.

Eurasian Coot with the cutest babies ever in The Netherlands.

Actually I agree with Ken these are not the easiest babies to call cute.
This I think is a baby Common Moorhen taken in France.

You have to love the feet on this Eurasian Coot.

 

[Trent Watts]

My contributions to Today's Winged Wednesday are members of the Rallidae family, coots, rails, gallinule, and swamphens to name a few. Most of the members prefer wetlands with dense vegetation. Part 2 next week.

View attachment 67417
Common Gallinule

View attachment 67415
Sora

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Virginia Rail

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Australasian swamphen: The adult is scolding a juvenile. In New Zealand, it is known as the pūkeko.

View attachment 67414
The South Island takahe is a large flightless swamphen indigenous to New Zealand. The current population is about 500 birds. The Takahe were thought to be extinct in the 1890s. Fortunately, a few Takahe were discovered on a remote New Zealand Island in 1948. Conservation efforts are ongoing and have been a huge success.

All spectacular Eric. I really am drawn to the Virginia Rail.

 

[Trent Watts]

Excellent start Eric. Here's a few from me

Wattled Jacana, Jacana jacana Tobago
View attachment 67424

White-breasted Waterhen, Amaurornis phoenicurus Singapore
View attachment 67425

Grey-headed Swamphen, Porphyrio poliocephalus Goa India
View attachment 67426

Coot, Fulica atra England
View attachment 67427

Water Rail, Rallus aquaticus England
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Wow Kevin. These are amazing. What an adaptation on that Wattled Jacana for walking on water plants.

 

[Trent Watts]

I hope that I haven't posted these before. Baby Coots rank very low on the "cute" scale. Ken
View attachment 67436

View attachment 67435

You have that right Ken. Nice images none the less.

 

[AlanLichty]

There might be a coot in this scene but I think it's mostly ducks and swans. Rooster Rock State Park in the Columbia River Gorge.

 

[Eric Gofreed]

Excellent start Eric. Here's a few from me

Wattled Jacana, Jacana jacana Tobago
View attachment 67424

White-breasted Waterhen, Amaurornis phoenicurus Singapore
View attachment 67425

Grey-headed Swamphen, Porphyrio poliocephalus Goa India
View attachment 67426

Coot, Fulica atra England
View attachment 67427

Water Rail, Rallus aquaticus England
View attachment 67428

You are a master bird photographer, Kevin. I love you work

 

[Eric Gofreed]

I hope that I haven't posted these before. Baby Coots rank very low on the "cute" scale. Ken
View attachment 67436

View attachment 67435

I have not seen these awesome photos, Ken. It is a privilege to see them.

 

[Roger Bailey]

Common Gallinules at work

 

[Douglas Sherman]

Great choice and your images are wonderful, Eric. Here are my contributions.

Sora

Purple Gallinule

Gray-headed Swamphen

Common Moorhen

Virginia Rail

 

[Eric Gofreed]

There might be a coot in this scene but I think it's mostly ducks and swans. Rooster Rock State Park in the Columbia River Gorge.

View attachment 67447

Lots of ducks and swans, Alan.

A few in this family from me.

A 'fleet' of American Coots near Vancouver, B.C.
View attachment 67444

An American Coot on the river in Saskatoon.
View attachment 67440

Eurasian Moorhen in Scotland.
View attachment 67439

Eurasian Coot with the cutest babies ever in The Netherlands.
View attachment 67442

Actually I agree with Ken these are not the easiest babies to call cute.
This I think is a baby Common Moorhen taken in France.
View attachment 67443

You have to love the feet on this Eurasian Coot.
View attachment 67441

Awesome set. Best coot toes ever, Trent

 

[Eric Gofreed]

Great choice and your images are wonderful, Eric. Here are my contributions.

Sora
View attachment 67451


Purple Gallinule
View attachment 67453


Gray-headed Swamphen
View attachment 67454


Common Moorhen
View attachment 67452


Virginia Rail
View attachment 67457

I'm so jealous of your purple gallinules photos. Master-level photography every time,

Common Gallinules at work View attachment 67449

Common Gallinules at work View attachment 67449

As good as it gets, Roger
Doug

 

[larryj]

Here are a few Sandhill Cranes shot from the Basque del Apache Wildlife Refuge in Southern New Mexico. I also added one shot of a snow goose. While we were at the refuge there were 8,500 Sandhill Cranes on the Refuge and 45,000 light geese. It was remarkable to spend 2 days at the refuge and see lots of bird and a few deer.

 

[Trent Watts]

Great shots of the cranes Larry.. I wonder if some were in Saskatchewan this fall as thousands go through here on the way to New Mexico?

 

[Eric Gofreed]

outstanding work, Larry. I want to get to the Bosque before Christmas

 

[larryj]

Great shots of the cranes Larry.. I wonder if some were in Saskatchewan this fall as thousands go through here on the way to New Mexico?

Thanks Trent for your nice comments, appreciated! There are a couple of flyways which the birds use to get to New Mexico and I assume some would come through Saskatchewan!

 

[larryj]

outstanding work, Larry. I want to get to the Bosque before Christmas

Thanks Eric comments appreciated! I think before Christmas would be a good time. We went through there in late November on a road trip to Los Angeles to visit my mother. We only had half a day to visit the refuge. I was so impressed that I drove back down there from Denver on my own the second week of December and spent 2 day in the refuge, an unbelievable experience. listening to 45,000 geese going airborne at once is a sound and sight you will never forget! The site 'friends of the Basque" has some videos and sound bites that will give you a flavor of the experience! Good luck on you trip to the Basque and good shooting.