On our first trip through Bear River we didn’t spot a single Avocet chick, though we did spot several other baby birds, probably more than I’ve ever seen in a single day. There were so many Western/Clark Grebe babies I still haven’t managed to sort through all of them.
At first glance I thought these were Mallard ducklings, but once I caught a good look at the mommy it was clear they were the first Northern Shoveler ducklings
I had ever seen. This brood of ducks, unlike most Mallard broods I’ve seen, stayed tightly together, and momma was quite protective, even chasing away nearby ducks.
I’ve seem Pied Grebe chicks before but have never gotten shots like this,
or this, before.
The highlight of the morning, though, came near the end of the auto tour when Leslie spotted this Black-Necked Stilt acting strangely.
Then she spotted this chick through the binoculars.
I couldn’t see it with my bare eyes and could barely find it through the 500mm lens with a doubler on it.
I wouldn’t have had any idea what kind of bird it was if a parent hadn’t been nearby.
Though I was disappointed that we still hadn’t seen a single Avocet chick after driving 800 miles, this single chick
made the morning feel very special.
As Ruth always said, “One Good Bird, that’s all we need.”
Wonderful photos. That chick is such a sight!