After our early morning start, we had a leisurely lunch at a quaint restaurant out in the country. The temps were rising as we boarded the van and headed out to the Mendoza wastewater treatment facility. Wastewater treatment areas are often great places to bird as they are primarily made up of large, shallow retention ponds. Yes, once in a while you get a whiff of sewage in the air but not often.
Headed into the wastewater facility we stopped along the road for a great look at a Burrowing Owl perched up; it showing as much interest in us as we held for the bird.
The first birds I noticed as we entered the area were Glossy Ibis. They were flying from pond to pond and stood in the shallow water. I love the green iridescent color of the wings, and note the bright red eye. We very rarely get this bird in Chicagoland so it was a real treat to see so many of them close up.
Many other species of birds were similar, but not the same, as ones we see in the U.S. Here are a few examples.
This pair of White-cheeked Pintails were cruising slowly across the pond. They are quite different from our Northern Pintail ducks, which have a thin white line going beneath their jaw and up behind their heads.
At first glance it would have been easy to mistake this for a Northern Shoveler. One main difference is that the Northern Shoveler has a bright green head. The shape of both species’ body and bill are almost identical.
One of my favorite waterfowl species is the Ruddy Duck, which has a bright blue bill (during breeding season) and keeps its tail upright while swimming. So it’s no surprise that I thought this next duck was a Ruddy, but no, it is a Lake Duck. Different, but similar species.
This next one might have been mistaken for an old, gray Eared Grebe. This one turns out to be a White-tufted Grebe. Like many grebes, note its bright red eye.
Coots, also called Swamp Hens, are common waterfowl and found in almost all parts of the U.S. Here’s a relative – the Red-fronted Coot (nice reflection shot, don’t you think)?
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