{"id":75507,"date":"2020-11-25T05:44:31","date_gmt":"2020-11-25T12:44:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=75507"},"modified":"2023-03-10T04:53:31","modified_gmt":"2023-03-10T11:53:31","slug":"hen-and-drake-american-wigeon-pair-close-to-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/11\/25\/hen-and-drake-american-wigeon-pair-close-to-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Hen And Drake American Wigeons Close To Home"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"DrakeDrake and hen American Wigeons \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1250, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The weather here in northern Utah continues to be a touch too warm for this time of the year in the afternoons even though it is chilly in the mornings. I’ve seen a few snow flurries recently and there is snow on the mountain tops but 2020 hasn’t been a “normal” year in any way shape or form and neither has the weather at this time of the year. I looked at the 10 day forecast and see very little chance for snow except for this evening when we might have a few flurries. It might be slightly white tomorrow morning for Thanksgiving Day. I won’t hold my breath though.<\/p>\n

In a “normal” year there would probably have already been a couple of snowstorms and the snow seems to bring in more birds to photograph and it can make them easier to spot.<\/p>\n

Even though the weather has been odd I am looking forward to the ducks species I find close to home on some of the local ponds. Among the duck species I look for during the winter are American Wigeons which are medium sized dabbling ducks.<\/p>\n

American Wigeons are year round residents in the most northern part of Utah according to range maps yet most years I only see them during the winter. I also don’t see them in large numbers, usually just a pair or two at my local pond.<\/p>\n

I took this photo of a pair of American Wigeons in early December of 2018. The drake is on the left and the hen is on the right. I saw this pair intermittently until mid January and then they took wing and left the area. Perhaps I will get lucky and have another pair at my local pond again this winter. I hope so.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my American Wigeon photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Among the duck species I look for during the winter are American Wigeons which are medium sized dabbling ducks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":111008,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[6312,27,709,26],"tags":[4004,6313,4053,4717,4483,1129,126,4070,4359,4062,6314,2139,1984,4188,8018,3996,6315,6316,373],"class_list":["post-75507","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-american-wigeons","category-avian","category-salt-lake-county-utah","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-american-wigeon","tag-breeding-plumage","tag-dabbling-ducks","tag-drake","tag-duck","tag-ducks-2","tag-female","tag-hen","tag-male","tag-mareca-americana","tag-pair","tag-pond","tag-shoreline","tag-urban","tag-water","tag-wigeon","tag-wigeons","tag-winter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t