Gerald

in answer to activity 1.  Yesterday I observed several double crested cormorants and a few mallards in a nearby bay.  The cormorant has the long slender neck and sits much lower in the water than the duck like appearance of the mallard. activity 2.   The ring necked duck, the lesser scaup and the common goldeneye all have various amounts of white and black.  It always takes me a while to see the difference.  The common goldeneye has the white patch on its face, the ring necked duck has more black feathers on its back and the female lesser scaup has a white ring behind its bill.  I find I have to get fairly close to make a positive id.  They all like to share the same bay. activity 3.  Yesterday I saw a pileated woodpecker looking for a meal in a huge poplar tree. On the same hike an ovenbird was on the trail looking for something to eat and several chickadees were also on the hunt for bugs. activity 4.  My favourite bird is the hooded merganser.  It is duck like in appearance. It has a large white crest on its head and is often found in smaller ponds or lakes.

This course has given me the inspiration I needed to get out with my binoculars this spring.  I live along the north shore of Lake Superior and the ice has only recently gone out in a nearby bay. American white pelicans have moved into the bay the past few years and I saw my first 8 of the season today.  My favourites this time of year are Buffleheads, Hooded Mergansers and Ring-necked ducks.  They are plentiful now and easy to identify.  Am waiting for the return of the Red-winged black bird to a near by pond full of bull rushes.  Am thinking of buying a camera to use birdwatching and would love to get any suggestions.  Don't want to spend more than 6 hundred and need a camera easy to use...don't need all the bells and whistles.. Cheers