Ruddy and the Coot

Last week, I took another drive to Oceanside to look for the Black Skimmers and the Least Bitterns but they appear to have disappeared form the area... However, there are lots of other bird subjects around to photograph at the San Luis Rey River mouth with lively action shots and unusual photo-ops if you are patient.

 

My first subject on the east side of the bridge was a young Great Blue Heron looking for a morning snack but no Least Bitterns.

 

I walked on to the center of the bridge to see if I could spot any Bitterns in the large clump of reeds at the center of the river mouth but found instead the interesting sight of a Ruddy Duck swimming near several American Coots. 

The Ruddy Duck had a distinctive dirty-looking cheek. Maybe it is his first breeding season and still has not gotten the clean white cheek. He was just sitting in the water staring at the Coots. Almost like a herding dog would stare at a flock of sheep. Giving them the "eye"

 

Several Coots went into the water around him and the Ruddy became defensive, maybe you could say that it was more aggressive, and started his display of thumping his chest and dispersing bubbles. With tail raised straight up and his crown looking like two cat ears he was quite intimidating. 

The Ruddy stares down a Coot doing his "bubble" display . The Coot looks a little confused at the aggressive stance the Ruddy is displaying.

Checking out the Ruddy, the Coot comes a little closer. 

The Ruddy Duck thumps his chest harder!

Look at the bubbles he is creating!

Without warning he puffs up his body to look much larger and aggressively rushes across the water. I am focused on him and do not see his intended target. 

 

Full speed ahead!

An American Coot comes into the camera frame. The Ruddy is charging at top speed on the surface.

 

The dark marking on his cheek gives him a look of a menacing smile much like the "joker" in the movie Batman. I can now see that there are two Coots panicking at the Ruddy's approach.

The Coots should be quite unnerved to see this Ruddy all puffed up and charging at them in an attack mode. 

 

I focus on the Coots and see that one has already dived under and this one at lower right of the photo is also in a panic. He needs to get away from this charging Ruddy with a sinister smile. The Ruddy is making quite a loud stomping sound as he runs on water. 

Almost at his target the Ruddy puts on the gas. Spreading his wings and puffing himself up looking even more menacing.

 

The Coot zigzags but panics and dives underwater for cover as he realizes that the Ruddy is not slowing but gaining speed straight at him!. The Ruddy is not taking his eyes off his intended target. 

Arriving at the spot where the Coot is diving under, the Ruddy keeps up his chase and follows the Coot. 

 The chase continues underwater. 

The last thing visible is the cinnamon brown coloring of the Ruddy Duck's back as he goes deeper chasing after the Coot creating a huge turbulence at the surface above. 

 There is lots of disturbance at the surface that is created by all the action underwater. 

Amazing amount of surface turbulence and quite a long time passes without either the Coot or the Ruddy surfacing. I finally spot the blue bill of the Ruddy Duck. It is visible at the lower right hand corner of this frame. The Coot is nowhere to be found. He is probably fifty feet past this attack scene by now. 

The Ruddy with an attitude surfaces and settles down. 

 

But the attitude stays... what a wonderful duck these Ruddys are. Love his spunk!

 

Satisfied that his target is gone far enough away from the area, "Dirty Cheeks" swims away slowly. 

 

Nearby another male swims quietly but appears to be guarding something... 

I look around and found a couple of young Ruddy Ducks sleeping in the reeds. Now I know why the males were in such a protective mode. 

 

This little sleepy Ruddy looks very young. Look at all the fine down natal feathers still showing.

Leaving the sleeping little Ruddy Ducks I walk over to the west side of the bridge to see an American Avocet feeding below. 

A cute little young Pied-billed Grebe swims directly under the bridge.

He still has his natal feathers and look at those beautiful markings on his head and neck. It always reminds me of warpaint. 

 

Looking past the youngster, I spot the mother swimming ahead.

She leads the youngster to the open part of the river mouth. 

My attention is drawn back directly below the bridge as an adult Snowy Egret with breeding plumage makes an appearance. 

 

A Caspian Tern getting a drink of water. 

 

He takes off and I get a shot of his underside and a clear reading of his leg band. 617 is his ID. It sure would be interesting to find out where and when he was banded. Another fun day at the Oceanside Harbor but it's time to head for home. 

Have a cool week everyone!