American Wigeon: Fall Invasion

Twin Cities American Wigeon Drake in Fall

American Wigeons in the Minneapolis St Paul Metro

During fall I know of many places to view and photograph the American Wigeon

American Wigeons are common ducks during fall in the Twin Cites metro area. You just need to know where to look. Wigeons were my first fascination with waterfowl photography. It’s good to have a fascination and a spot or two to work on the photography game. I came upon my first wigeon spot in a suburban pond. This pond had homes around it with the exception of an area about 50 yards long that was accessible to the public. Luckily for me this area was on the east side of the pond making ideal for morning photography.

This pond had wigeons in it and a good bunch of them both drakes and hems to go along with Canadian geese and mallards. My challenge was to photograph the wigeons on the calmest water with no duck weeds floating in the frame. This proved to be a challenge to go along with my beginner photography skills.

So, I brought in the expert Master Po to join me for a morning of wigeon photography. What I learned is you have to set up where you want the ducks to be. Being a newbie at the time I was always restless and excited to see and photograph birds I had little experience with. I’m under the belief that Po got some keeper shots and I did too but not the kind of images I desired. So I kept trying. Trying for years at this pond. You see wigeons return to this pond each year and every October I’d go to the wigeon pond to improve my images. Over those years I took 1000’s of pictures of wigeons. I got better images each year. I might just go back again this year.

Being a bird guy I have since found wigeons during fall all over the Twin Cities. From the Bass Ponds in Bloomington to ponds near the city lakes. If you are after wigeons give the following spots a try. Bass Ponds, Vadnais Lake, Lake of the Isles and Cedar Lake in Minneapolis, Bush Lake, Wood Lake Nature Center and any pond near the Minnesota or Mississippi River. I’ll let you know when I find some this fall.

Twin Cities Wigeons

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