Today’s batch is from reader Steve Adams, whose text is indented. Click on the photos to enlarge them. My favorites—wood ducks! Most show the spectacular male, surely one of the most colorful birds in North America.
I was going through my photos from this spring and wanted to share these with you and your readers. I had a hard time picking photos, but I thought that since you love ducks so much, I would start with these. I have been trying for several seasons to get decent photos of Wood Ducks (Aix sponsa) and I finally succeeded this year. I received a tip that there had been sightings at a nature park not far from where I live. I was skeptical since the park is within a suburban area and quite well-trafficked.To my surprise, there were 4 males and 3 females residing in the swampy area. I find them very beautiful and have spent some delightful hours there taking photos and watching them. The local park is called Tinker Nature Park and is located in the town of Henrietta, NY, a suburb south of Rochester.
The next two photos show the female too:
Great pictures of the loveliest duck. I first saw them in the Regent’s Park lake in London. In time Mandarin ducks were introduced but they were too showy for me. I stayed with the wood ducks.
Thank you! I’ve never seen a Mandarin duck in the wild, but they look lovely as well.
Lovely photos! It looks so serene there. Ducks and their background is wonderful to see.
That last photo with the duck flying is my favorite. All are lovely.
Thank you! It is amazingly serene there considering the park is embedded within a suburban neighborhood near a busy road.
Gorgeous! The second photo almost looks like the duck is staring down a partially submerged hippo. 🙂
Thank you!
The only thing I can do looking at such loveliness is look and try to take some of it in…add another smidgen of appreciation on such glory. I’d never seen an image of one head on and it may be my favorite because of that. But I loved all of them and thank you for posting them on WEIT. They are a celebration and to be celebration.
Thank you! I love being outdoors, especially when I get to photograph such lovely ducks. The next best thing to being there is sharing the photos. The head on photo is one of my favorites too!
Very beautiful ducks, and great pictures of them! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you! I always love your photos. You do great work!
Lucky you! I’ve never seen one of these ducks in the wild. You captured some great images of these beauties.
Thank you!
Are they beautiful! (And never in my life have I made even one bird photo of this quality). A close relation to mandarin ducks, I assume, but I like them even better.
Thank you! Yes, according to what I have read, Wood Ducks are related to Mandarins.
Second from the bottom— magnificent!
Thank you! That is one of my favorites, too!