The wind has blown the duckweed into the edges of the marsh, and many of the ducks may be seen scooping it up with their beaks. These blue-winged teal were busy feeding this morning. At this time of the year, all the ducks have undergone their first molt, leaving the males looking like their female counterparts (the white feathers in the duckweed are left from molting). This makes it more difficult to tell some of the species apart. The color and shape of the bill, which doesn't change, helps to identify them.
It was really foggy yesterday morning when I walked the trail. There were many ducks on the water, but all you could see were shadowy forms, except for this Blue-winged Teal who was fairly close to the shore. I like the pattern in the water created by the fog-diffused light.
Remember those eleven young Blue-winged teal orphans? This morning I saw two Blue-winged teals sitting among the cattails near one of the viewing platforms. I took a few shots, then thought that perhaps these were of that group I had been seeing, so started looking around to see if I could spot the rest of them. Searching with my binoculars, I located six more in among the cattails, some more relaxed than others! The blue wing feathers are clearly visible on the teal in the upper shot.
As I was walking the trail this morning, I accidentally flushed out of the tall grasses that edge the marsh, a pair of adult ducks and eleven young ones. I assumed the young ones belonged to the pair, until they swam off leaving the juveniles alone. I'm pretty sure they are Blue-winged Teals (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong). They are not completely fledged, as some of their down is still evident.
