25 Feb 2009

Watery Wednesday N:o 24

Seems there's been quite a few weeks when I haven't participated in this meme now. Not for lack of pictures so much as for lack of time.
Anyway I thought of making it this week and the theme here is water birds. Some within reach of streaming water and others forced to live on the ice, allthough even they had a bit of open water to use. It just isn't showing in the pictures that are taken from different parts of the nearby Mankki river.

First we have a little Dipper (Cinclus Cinclus) that I came across the other day. The Dipper is a very arctic bird emigrating to middle and southern Finland's rivers and settling where ever the water is streaming enough not to freeze for the winter. In summer it nests in northern Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. It can take temperatures up to -25 centigrades and when cold it dips into the streaming water to get warm. The water being always just above zero.

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This is the closest I could get to it

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As the pictures are cropped quite heavily the actual quality is not that good.

Then we have more familiar urban birds, the Mallard ducks (anas platyrhynchos). They were doing a lot flying around at that time due to a lady further up the bank feeding them bread.

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This last photo has no birds in it as the cygnet that had been there just swam out of the picture so don't go and polish your specticles. It is yet another part of the river though and I thought the little house there was cute.

Now for those of you who really would like to see many other forms of water in all its glory, why not get aquinted with a meme that will fulfill your wishes. Just click on the below button and take it from there:
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12 comments:

Mojo said...

Despite what the Little Dipper might think, water that's just above freezing (like Price Lake in my photo) is still quite cold! At least it is if you're not born with a waterproof down jacket like he is.

And in that first photo, he doesn't look all that happy himself!

Cute though.

Love the duck photos! I didn't realize you'd find mallards that far north. We have them all over down here, so I suppose I erroneously assumed they preferred warmer climates. Guess they're an all-terrain all-weather bird, eh?

Tarolino said...

Yes mallards are hardy and as long as they can find any free running water they can survive the winters. We have so many of them nearby in the winter as they seem to move further out into the archipelago later in the year.

I think dipper was a bit concerned about my close proximity on the other side of the river at that point :)

Anonymous said...

Oh, good to see you back Tarolino, yeah, haven't been seeing around for a while.
But today, you brought us excellent photos of the birds, I also thought those mallards migrate to warmer places during winter. Well, they're there and surviving the cold weather.

Thanks for visiting.

BTW, I was looking for your followers so I could easily trace what you've recently posted. Anyway, i'll just add you up on my blog list. :)

George said...

Your pictures of the water foul are quite good, but the flying ducks are especially dramatic. I'm glad you included that last picture, it's very scenic.

Guy D said...

Tarolino, great shots. I really enjoyed looking through your blog, lots of great photography. I added you to my followers list so I can return often.

Have a great day!
Guy
Regina In Pictures

VALKYRIEN said...

Nice to have you on the meme! And nice to see the dipper, don't believe I have seen that for some time. But the ducks I see often, and they are such fun birds! I try constantly to capture them like you have done; spreading there wings - but my photos always gets blury! I must do something wrong - but I will work on it! :)
Very good shooting with the camera!

And thanks for all your nice visits on my blog!

Leora said...

What a lovely little birdie. Amazing that he likes the cold so much! Beautiful photos. The last one with the reflection is charming.

Anonymous said...

These are wonderful shots. I really like the way the ice looks at the edge of the stream/river. The birds in action are great and that last shot is just beautiful. Glad you found time to post.
:-)

Baruch said...

Such beautiful pictures. I always find it so amazing to see how adaptable animals are in all kinds of weather. Your last picture is picture perfect. It has a great composition and all the necessary elements to make it very eye pleasing - and it looks just like a painting.

Linnea said...

You had a good time birdwatching! Thanks for the lesson. Your shots are great and varied. And yes, that little house on the river is very quaint looking. So when is spring arriving in Finland?...hee, hee.

Carletta said...

The ice in the first two look like fine glass.
I'm envious of the action shots of the ducks - wonderful captures.
The last one is a beautiful landscape. I love the reflections and would like being in that little house enjoying the view.

Sorry I was late getting here this week.

Carrizo said...

Number seven is my favorite. All these are enjoyable photos.

Regards.