The Hooded Merganser ducks (Lophodytes cucullatus) were already paddling into deeper water when I spotted them on Tuesday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The small ducks were swimming slowly, creating beautiful wakes in the still waters that were tinged in pink by the early morning light. Although you cannot see most of the details of the ducks, the image gives you a sense of the tranquility of the moment.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
They look so peaceful! Merry Christmas!
My favorite local duck!
Very nice, Mike! Good of them to paddle off slowly, great morning light and capture of the closest one.
Thanks, Ellen. In the early morning hours, I think we all were moving a bit slowly. As you noted, the closest male was the one that I was focusing on. The close female was a bit less sharp and the pair in the distance was out of focus. There wasn’t a whole lot of light, so it really wasn’t possible to stop down the lens to get greater depth of field. 🙂
Happy Holidays 😊