Tremendous Harlequin

I have been hiding with a filet a few morning along some rapids of a river, where I had spotted Harlequin ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus).

I observed them diving in extremely turbulent waters, swimming like fish, where personally, I would have break my neck within a few seconds

They check the rocks in the bed of the river for some molluscs to eat.

The territories covered with boreal forests are huge in the province of Québec and those harlequin ducks very discreet. As well they migrate from the seashores only in april to mate and the male goes back as earlier as beginning of june at the sea to molt. The female deals alone with the education of the ducklings.


May 2008, Gaspésie, Québec, Canada