November 20 2012. Hamilton Harbour, ON. As we returned home this morning from what was mostly a domestic excursion, we ran into a traffic holdup caused by a canal lift-bridge being raised to allow a large ship to pass into our harbour from Lake Ontario . These holdups are lengthy, frequent and a part of life around here. You can be philosophical about the enforced delay and enjoy the pause in the day, or if time is at a premium, take the multi-lane highway that soars high over the canal but which also detaches you from the fabric of life and community around.
I could see that the bridge was up from quite a distance away and decided that rather than sit in line between a large cement truck and a Ford F150 pickup (both with engines running), I’d make a detour to see what ducks were to be found in one of the harbour’s backwaters.
The particular backwater is hard up against an industrial service road. Parking and watching birds at the roadside is an uneasy experience but it’s not all that busy and the regular traffic seems to make allowances for the birders and fishermen who take their chances. As I pulled alongside the pond I immediately spotted a Canvasback not very far from the road. By the time I’d stopped and got my binoculars out and focused, A pair of Canvasbacks and several Ruddy Ducks were moving away quickly. There was no chance of photographing them, the light was poor in the November gloom, the birds were moving fast and a veil of fog was starting to obscure them. To my mind Canvasbacks are aristocrats among ducks and for that reason alone they were my Bird of the Day, admittedly the competition was thin but they probably would have been anyway. I’ll go back another day soon and hope for better light and more time to see what else is there with them.
This photo of three Canvassbacks, some Ring-necked Ducks and a couple of American Widgeon, was taken in Arizona a year ago.
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