A Wood Duck Drake shares a warm sunlit cove with a pair of MallardsNow that the spring waterfowl migrations are past, we are left with Wood Ducks and Mallards. Both species nest in our area and I am keeping a sharp look out for the first ducklings of the season.
Rain had soaked our area all day yesterday with skies beginning to clear as night fell. I arrived at the lake this morning at daybreak and was met with a stiff breeze and 41F temperature, not exactly ideal fishing conditions but it is my day off and I wasn’t about to miss an outing.
Fishing along the shoreline, I kept my camera handy and was rewarded with this image as I turned into a small cove around 7:30. A pair of Mallards was sharing the sunshine with a pair of Wood Ducks. I tried to capture all four ducks in the frame but the Woodie hen wasn’t about to stick around for the shot.
As a side note; Mallards when approached to closely, flush but the Woodies will typically swim to the shoreline and run into the woods before flushing if they even flush at all. I find observing the differing evasion tactics of the various species
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18 comments:
Very well stated about flushing tecniques of birds.
Nice photo. Love Woodies.
Come visit my critters,
Troy
I've always loved water fowl photos... love those ducks!
Salty: That wood drake is really a good looker.
You have got a lot of superb waterfowl shots this spring!
Excellent work!
What pretty ducks! We sometimes get them stopping by for a rest in our pond.
Beautiful colours. They look like they could be wood painted! Excellent shot.
I'd like that framed on my wall- aweinspiring
great photo, the wood duck is so beautiful
Love these ducks Salty, especially the Woodie.
Our temperature got up to 103 today...abit too hot for me. No rain in sight and the fire danger is extreame..Its just the start of a long season.
great shot
Will you visit mine Thanks
nice pic
Hope you visit mine too Thanks
Now THAT is AWESOME!!! Oh my gosh - I absolutely love this picture!
Hi Salty..
I can see how much your Wood Duck look like the Mandarin and by the sound of it the females are skittish in both types. The males will hang around normally but the hens just move for cover.
Tom
Someone needs to tell the one with the green head it's going the wrong way. :)
I really like this photo.
Oh wow, it looks so real great capture
I really love photos of ducks, and I've seen a lot today! I'm loving every minute of it. Thanks for explaining they are mallards and wood ducks. Very nice looking. Thanks for sharing!
I love this post: the gorgeous photo, the great information. Don't wood duck males look like decoys? Well, they do to me, an inexperienced birder. We had several stop by as they came north again. But I don't think any stayed. If they did, they are where I can't see them.
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