While going through my photo backlog from this last year, I came across a trove of more duck pics.
These were the first Canvasbacks I've ever seen up close. The male and female pair were very obliging as they hung out in the Hudson off Riverside Park.
The male's bright red eye is really striking.
The female is a bit less flashy, but still cool looking.
I'd say Wood Ducks are our most spectacular native duck species. They're easily found in Central and Prospect Parks.
The male (above) gets a lot of attention for his colors, but I really like the more subtle beauty of the females.
This female not-so-common Common Merganser was spotted in Prospect Park. They are not exactly rare, but it was special to see her in the park lake. I normally see them offshore.
Coney Island is my favorite place to see Long-Tailed Ducks.
This is a female:
Here is the male with his long tail:
It's easy to overlook Mallards because they're everywhere, but come on, look at that gorgeous emerald head on the male!
Females might look dull in comparison, but...
I watched this one hop out of the water and put on a show as she preened.
Her blue patches and brown color pattern resembled a kaleidoscope as she twisted around.
I wish I was this flexible...
The symmetry of her feathers is so pleasing. This was probably my favorite shot of the day.
