Twin Cities Drake Canvasback in Fall

Canvasback Ducks can be Found in the Minneapolis St Paul Metro

During fall they are not as hard to find as you may think.

To me Canvasbacks are ducks of Western Minnesota and west. But they can be found  in the Twin Cities metro during Fall. The canvasback just may be my favorite duck! Canvasbacks are beautiful, they’re active and they will come within photography range. There’s no real trick to finding them nor is there a trick to get them to come close to shore. Canvasback Ducks are diving ducks and they love to eat aquatic beasts with snails being a favorite. Cans, as I refer to them, search for food most of the day. As divers they do just that, dive down to catch food. I find them locally during fall in lakes that have a good population of snails. Canvasbacks offer action, diving and popping up, flapping and interacting with one another. This is enjoyable to watch and photograph.

I’ve witnessed canvasbacks resting on or hunting local waters in pairs and in large groups. They are easy to scan for with your eyes and glass because of their size and head shape. Places to find them include the Minneapolis City Lakes, Lake Phalen in St Paul, Vadnais Lake, Owasso Lake, Rice Lake, the Minnesota River and of course the Mississippi River. If you travel west of the Twin Cities there are all kinds of lakes that have canvasback ducks in them during fall. I’ve seen them in smaller ponds while driving too. One last thing, I see canvasbacks in large groups of other ducks, especially ringbills and goldeneye.

Now the get close enough to photograph them comes part. I find it easier to get closer to canvasbacks locally for a few reasons. Hunting. In the metro area these birds are not as wary of hunters and for many of these ducks they stick around for a few weeks. I find the longer they have been around the metro the less likely to be afraid of the shoreline.  Just by watching them dive you can be assured there’s food in the area and many times that food is close to  shore. If you are walking an area you see canvasbacks hunting near shore find a spot to lay on the ground near that area. Nevermind that they move out from the area, they will most likely return, all you have to do is wait them out. It helps to wear camo or natural colors. You may need to wear raingear which luckily comes in greens and darker colors that allow you to be more discreet. As I mentioned in an earlier article something to rest your camera on helps you protect your gear.

These are the basics if you want to add canvasbacks to your collection of bird images or sightings list. Now go out and find them.

Twin Cities Canvasbacks

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