Spring is for the birds

North American Woodcock - click to enlarge
Photo: Dave Small Photos by chance

  It is Spring and it's time for the "birds and bees".  Some birds have expressive mating rituals, and some just pair up - kind of like different kinds of people.  the Woodcock is abundant in Maine, when we lived in Medford they were more than plentiful.  Interesting ground birds, they had an elaborate dance when courting, a sort of Partridge like "drumming".
  Some of the quieter birds are waterfowl, ducks and geese, have simpler means of mating, and they often mate for life.  They raise their on land and water depending on what kind of feed they use.

A pair of Hooded Mergansers near the edge of ice. click to enlarge
Photo: Dave Small, Photos by chance

A Mallard pair "snowshoe" - click to enlarge
Photo: Dave Small, Photos by chance