Ducks & Geese


Cinnamon Teal, males


Cinnamon Teal, male & female


Ruddy, Gadwall, Shoveller, Blue-winged Teal


Shovellers (mostly)

KMHRP is a GREAT place to see and study waterfowl. There are often 10 or more types present in the winter. Summer has far fewer as they mostly nest far to north of us. But in the winter there may be 500 or a thousand native ducks spending the season at KMHRP.


Female Bufflehead


Lesser Scaup


Lesser Scaup


Black Brant

Thousands a year use the site as a rest stop during their annual migrations. What other freshwater lakes are around coastally for them to stop and refuel at? THIRTY species of native waterfowl have been found at KMHRP! They can't all be wrong. It should be enough diversity to satisfy any waterfowl watcher!


Ross' Goose


Canvasback

There is a great distinction to be made amongst waterfowl: native and non-native.

Non-native waterfowl are a problem at the park. They outcompete the native species for food, shelter and nest sites. They are much like cockroaches or rats. They don't belong here and the natural balance of nature is upset when they are introduced. The natural environment has no way to deal with them, their waste, and food consumption.


Dumped Roasters

This came to a head in the summer of 2002 when a botulism event killed hundreds of ducks. Fortunately most were non-native, and part of the problem. In the summer when lake levels are low, and no water is entering the lake (dry season), the natural ecosystem has no way to deal with the hundreds of pounds of feces they produce (WEEKLY!). Eventually it gets so polluted disease strikes. Naturally in summer, the few species that do nest, are in small numbers and not enough biomass to create such a problem.

But do-gooders and dummies dumping Easter ducks and "saving" ducks from other sites overpopulate the ecosystem's ability to deal with the waste they create. Then, not only the non-native ducks die, but many native ducks were lost too. The pet shops that sell ducks for Easter, knowing full well many will be illegally dumped at local parks should take some responsibility. They should be required by law to take any duck they sell back, when owners (often soon) tire of the mess.


Man-made, genetically-altered "Frankenduck" at KMHRP

Dumped ducks and geese, their habitat destruction, and a few native Coots trying to eek a living out of what is left, amongst the hordes of monstrous alien invaders.



Further, the introduced non-native waterfowl have eaten all the grass within 10-30 feet of most of the lakeshore, since 1990. Now, it is dirt, muddy and messy with "goose grease" along much of the west shore of the lake. It is of course illegal to dump animals at a park. Sometimes "animal lovers" are blinded by their love, and don't understand they may be killing that duck, and many other innocent ones in the process.

It amazes me that the general public that does not want genetically engineered food like tomatoes or beef, accepts it in waterfowl. They do not want an altered, non-natural product. Biologists, and students of nature do not want engineered wildlife either.

It is unacceptable. Why are man-made mutant ducks OK? They do not exist in the wild. They cannot fly. They are pigs or rats. Domestic ducks, like cats, have no place in the natural environment. They are man made mutant freaks, not real ducks. How can they compare to the beauty of any of the wild ducks shown here?


Wood Duck - male


Male Ruddy Duck


Ruddy Duck, female


Ruddy Duck (left) & Gadwall
(Both species nest at KMHRP.)


Wild Mallard


Ross' (left) & Snow Goose


Ross' Goose


Mandarin Duck (Exotic escapee)


Nene (Escaped Exotic?)



GULLS & TERNS
SHOREBIRDS & ASST. WATER BIRDS
HAWKS, FALCONS, etc.
HUMMINGBIRDS
LAND BIRDS
ASSORTED UNSORTED
HERONS, EGRETS, etc.
"BLACK" BIRDS