As the weather gets colder, ducks and geese begin to arrive at a small suburban pond not far from where I live. Most of these birds will overwinter with us, though some others may just be passing through our area. It is still a bit early for most species, but I was delighted on Friday to spot a small group of Ring-necked ducks (Aythya collaris). Even from a distance it is easy to identify this species with its prominent yellow eyes, distinctive bill, and pointed head.
The ducks drifted about in the deeper water, never coming very close to the shore, so I was not able to capture any close-up images this time. I’m sure, however, that I will be back to this pond multiple times this winter to check on the ducks, so you may see these colorful characters again in the coming months.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Nice Mike! They are fun photo subjects!
I always get a chill when I see them, Mike, but they are beautiful.
Beautiful ducks. Can’t wait until they show up here in Georgia. They usually arrive on our pond just after the New Year mixed in with a raft of Redheads.
I esp. like the watery, lined reflections – it makes an interesting, textured background.
Thanks, Eliza. Plain water and plain skies are a little boring–ripples and clouds add visual interest to an image without detracting from the primary subject.
That first shot looks fairly close to me! What a beak they have!
It helps to have a long telephoto lens. As with most nature photographers, I always want my subjects to be a little bit closer or my lens to be a bit longer.