Misty Morning Wood Duck

Although the skies were clear the gray early morning mist swirled slowly about the wetlands until well after sunrise. The mature Wood Duck drake swam cautiously past my camouflaged form hidden among the bushes along the shoreline.

The duck knew my shape was out of place in the habitat he knew intimately. Fully aware that danger can lurk motionlessly, he swam slowly watching me intently until there was a screen of brush between us before exploding into flight.

I’m sure that he thought that his evasion tactics were successful however he was unaware that I had gotten exactly what I wanted, an image of our most colorful duck.