Quarry Ducks, As the Ice Closed In

 

With the approach of winter, the Halibut Point quarry pond became a place of refuge for various ducks while the water remained open.

Chief among these hardy waterfowl have been Mallards and their closely related Black Ducks.

These dabblers are drawn to the quarry to rest from their rough and tumble foraging for vegetation along the ocean shoreline. There is nothing up here for them to eat at this time of year.

Mallards with a Ring-necked Duck

Once in awhile an exotic duck appears with the Mallards. Unlike the surface dabblers, these are usually divers.

Ring-necked Duck diving

I supposed they were diving to the bottom in search of mollusks or other edibles. Out in the middle of the quarry it's a long way down.

Greater Scaup swimming, and Mallards, standing

These visitors appeared just as ice was beginning to form on the quarry. They looked like bantams next to the plump Mallards, which were content to stand on the frozen surface on their broad, paddle-like feet.

Female Goldeneye

The divers busied themselves below the surface and never left the water.

Goldeneye diving

They had swimmers' feet, large and cupped for propulsion, not at all suited for standing or walking.

Goldeneye with fish

This photograph finally revealed the target of all that diving effort and the purpose of a lifestyle so distinct from the dabblers.

Ring-necked Duck

Evidently, for most of the year, the diving ducks find habitats more to their liking than chasing minnows in the quarry.

Mallards on the rim of the ice

Frigid temperatures have entirely closed the quarry to the colorful animations of ducks. For the adventurous, there's always the shoreline to admire the saltwater species overwintering in the harshest of environments.