I love ducks, as do most birders. From Cinnamon Teals to American Wigeons to Northern Pintails, ducks have endless varieties of looks and patterns that make them wonders to behold. But in my book, nothing tops the Wood Duck. The male Wood Duck, in particular.
In my former neighborhood, ducks of all kinds were common, but Wood Ducks were scarce. Now that I'm in a new location in Northern California, I'm thrilled that these birds are more commonly seen. I showed a local pair in my last blog post, but this morning, I really hit the jackpot in a nearby pond. Enjoy!
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| Everybody in the water! |
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| How many colors do you see? |
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| As usual, the female is drab in comparison. The white eye liner helps a little! |
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| The Mr. and the Mrs. out together. |
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| Think he knows how good he looks? |
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| A closer look at the sweet and modest female. |
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| Behold, Adonis! |
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Time to go ashore for a sun snooze.
I hope your days are filled with more wonders of nature and I wish you Wood Ducks in your future. Good birding! |
Jann, wonderful photographs of the gorgeous Wood Ducks! The males really are spectacular looking birds with all their brilliant color. I think the females are quite lovely, too. There is a beautiful pond I enjoy visiting where many Wood Ducks reside. I am always in awe of their beauty. Terrific post with great images and fun narrative!
ReplyDeleteJulie, thank you so much for your kind comments! The males are so beautiful and I was delighted to find these beauties at a nearby pond. Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!
DeleteWhat fabulous creatures! Still haven't seen one myself, but man I'm anxious for that day. I think the white streaking up from the neck and onto the face, as well as the white speckles on the red velvet breast, are the two most intriguing features.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a regular parade going on in this pond. Nice photos. Wonderful stuff. Thanks for sharing Jenn.
Laurence, you are so kind! Thanks for sharing your thoughts about these wonderful beauties. I hope you get the chance to see one (or many) soon!
DeleteWhat beautiful photos! In the Philippines we have a lot of wood ducks -- literally, wood ducks that are painted to look like the real thing. I actually have one in my living room. Now I know, they are REAL ducks. Interesting to know, too, that the male duck is so beautiful and the female so plain. Thanks for sharing:)
ReplyDeleteThank you very much, euthymic. That's funny that you describe painted wood ducks. The real kind are a bit more interesting, indeed, especially the male. Thanks for stopping by and for your kind comments.
DeleteGreat photos of some amazing looking ducks. I especially like the photo with the contrast of the male and the female together. That's a great find to discover these guys.
ReplyDeleteScott, thanks so much. Glad you stopped by and I'm glad you enjoyed these photos. See you on Twitter!
DeleteThey are so gorgeous, and how fun to see so many in one place!
ReplyDeletePat, thanks you so much! It was so exciting to see so many gathered.
ReplyDeleteI'm really looking forward more of your posts. You are in some old stomping grounds of mine:)
ReplyDeleteRoherbot, thank you! Please visit again. Glad to know I'm in your old stomping grounds!
DeleteBeautiful photographs. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteGene
Gene, thank you for visiting and thanks for your kind comments!
DeleteGorgeous images, Jann! They brightened my day!
ReplyDeleteHilke, thank you so much for stopping by and for your generous comment. Glad these ducks brightened your day!
ReplyDeleteThey do look good, don't they. We had a family hang out all last summer at the local wetlands. They were really the first ones I've ever noticed - but, then, I'm a novice. Your photos of the male are spectacular.
ReplyDeleteHere is a link what I wrote about the wetlands.
http://beyondmygarden.blogspot.com/2011/07/williamstown-wetlands.html
nellie
Wow, gorgeous shots and a great sighting of all these wood ducks. The male duck is one of the most beautiful ducks. Wonderful post and photos. Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Eileen! Aren't they wonderful? Nothing like Wood Ducks to brighten your day!
DeleteHi Jann – Although I always thought you were so lucky to have the Bay Area for a photography lab, I see that even though you’ve moved inland, you are still doing some great birding and taking some wonderful pictures. The colors on these ducks are so brilliant. And what a great close-up on that last shot. Hope all is well with you and thanks for sharing your work on your blog. John
ReplyDeleteJohn, you are a dear and thanks for your kind comments! Sorry for the delay in responding. Always nice to hear from you and I hope you are doing well. Hope to keep in touch. Have a great day, my friend!
DeleteI'll say that a jackpot sighting for sure. Many lovely images :)
ReplyDeleteDebbie, so nice of you to drop by. It felt like a duck jackpot for sure! Nice to see you & thanks for commenting!
DeleteFantastic photographs, beautiful birds. I am greeting
ReplyDeleteWow!
ReplyDeleteThose are some awesome pics. What a treat to see all of them.
Well done on the great photos.
Hi Jann, I was just looking through some old posts on my blog and found one of your kind comments. I just wanted to say HI and hope that all is well with you. Are you still birding and taking those wonderful pictures? I do miss hearing about your latest adventures and enjoying your photography. Very best regards, John
ReplyDeleteA really lovely series of photos.
ReplyDeleteAmazing captures.
ReplyDeleteJohn.