Howard County Bird Club

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck

Cornell’s All About Birds

Wilde Lake Columbia, April 25, 2022

The first sighting was by a jogger about 6:30 a.m. (The time was verified by a HCBC friend whose photo of the BBWDs the jogger later saw.) As far as birders were concerned, the flock was first noted by Diane Eidelman and Nathan Baum at 8:25 a.m. They photographed the birds and posted the image on social media and visitors headed for Wilde Lake. Birders arrived all day and watched the birds swimming, resting on mud at lake edge, eating grass, flying, and perching on a lakeside log. When last seen, the ducks had settled into trees at dusk. By dawn the following morning, they had departed.

April 25 2022 5-7 p.m.
“The flock stayed together. When I started observing them they began on one tree. They appeared to be dozing. Then one bird woke up and started squawking. The rest took up the chorus. Then they hopped into the water and fed on algae, I believe. They swam quite a ways down the lake then flew farther and landed on a tree. They flew again and landed in the grass where they again fed. The BBWD were still on the lake at 7 pm when I left.”

Movies by Bonnie Ott  and Kelsey Wellons.

Below are more photos taken throughout the day. Photos by HCBC members ML Clark, J Culler, E Eidelman, B Hill (3), A Lewis, S Luke, S Muller, P Osterman, H Patterson, G Petersen, K Schwarz (2), J Solem, C Stirrat,  and T Wilkins.

Photos by H Patterson, L Gregg, and W Cummings.