This past weekend there was a thin layer of ice on many of the little ponds at my local marshland park. I thought the ice would deter the migrating ducks and geese from stopping in, but I was wrong. Perhaps they just needed a break from flying.
It seemed unusual enough that I took some photos of the ducks walking on the frozen water. The first two images are pretty straightforward, but I tried to be a little creative in framing the third image, as a female duck contemplates the vast expanse of the ice in front of her.
I even tried to capture a duck landing on the ice in the last photo. A female duck is making a soft landing as her male companion prepares to come in right behind her. It’s not really sharp, but it gives you the idea. I had previously thought that the ducks would aim to land in the water that had not yet frozen, but obviously the ducks know what they are doing.
I never know what I will find when I venture out into nature—it’s one of the reasons that I keep returning to the same places, in hopefeil expectation of new surprises.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved
Mike Powell 
Ice skating ducks 🙂
Who knew? One of my earlier posts featured a goose on ice! Of course, you can’t go very fast if you have that much surface area of the feet in contact with the ice (and those are really big feet).
The best part is when they come into land… All flapping wings and sliding feet, and often an ungracious crash at the end 😀
If you had ever seen me ice skating, you would realize that you have given a perfect description of my usual performance.
Never tried, it would be a complete disaster, I only like methods of locomotion that have brakes 😀
I’m always surprised (and glad) that their feet don’t freeze right into the ice. Maybe they keep moving enough so that it can’t happen. Or maybe their feet don’t have any warmth in them to melt the ice. Nature always gets me scratching my head and wondering.
I guess I am going to have to do some searches about duck feet. Nature continues to amaze and confound me.
great photos! I like the third one very much, and the fourth one looks like the female is using her tail as a balance during the landing.
The ice definitely adds another dimension.
I can comment on why duck (and geese) feet don’t freeze to the ice…their foot temperature is the same as the ice they are walking on. Ice cubes stick to our hands because our fingers are warm nd moist. Duck feet are just the opposite.
Thanks, Sue. You saved me from having to research the question. Does that mean that ducks don’t have nerve endings in their feet?
Another good question! As it turns out the nerve endings undergo seasonal changes in their lipid composition so that they can conduct at very low temperatures. The change in leg blood flow is what enables the feet to get very cold while the upper leg and core of the body stay warm. I think you have just given me an idea for today’s post. May I use one of your photos for that post?
Absolutely, Sue. I would be honored to have you do so. This is fascinating info about duck physiology.
[…] Mallard walking on ice (photo by Mike Powell). […]
A fine set indeed.
Wow! I bet they don’t stop too quick when they touch down. Must have been neat to watch.
There was some slipping and sliding in some cases, but sometimes they came down pretty lightly (using their wings to decelerate). It was definitely interesting to see.