for the Atlantic seaboard. Dabbling Ducks like the tiny Green-winged Teals and the elegant Northern Pintails feed like Mallards do, by floating on the surface of the water and foraging in shallow depths. Diving ducks like the Common Mergansers and Ruddy Ducks are underwater hunters. The merganser hunts mainly fish, while the Ruddy Duck pursues small crustaceans, insects and other invertebrates. The diving ducks roll headfirst into the water and can pursue their prey as deep as they need to go. It can be difficult to count how many individuals are in a flock of diving ducks as they forage. They dive and resurface many times, often reemerging some distance from where they first went down. The Ring-necked Duck should probably be called the “Ring-billed Duck” since the species has a visible ring around its bill and only a very faint ring around its neck. The adult male has a dark, iridescent head. His head is tall and comes to a peak at the back, over the ear. It is important to note the peaked head since it helps distinguish the Ring-necked Duck from the otherwise similar, Lesser Scaup and Greater Scaup which also migrate through the region. All three species have very dark backs and highly contrasting light gray sides which give them the look of a whitewall tire. The Ring-necked Duck specializes in foraging on underwater plants and seeds. Of the several species of diving duck that traverse the area, it’s the Ring-necked Duck that gather in the greatest numbers and spend the most time, on the lakes and marshes in the Mohawk Valley. Sparrow migration reaches its peak in October as warbler migration reached its peak the month before. Although the number of sparrow species that regularly come through the area amounts to only a fraction of the number of warbler species passing though, there is still some diversity to look forward to. Also, unlike with most warblers, sparrows usually have the decency to sit still for a minute to let you identify them. The fact that most sparrows are seed eaters and will frequent bird feeders is also helpful
Northern Pintail ducks
White-throated Sparrow
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