Wood Ducks, in my humble opinion, are the prettiest of the waterfowl that grace our skies and waters around Iowa. And really that’s saying quite a lot when you consider the variety of ducks we have nest here and pass through during the fall and spring migrations. It’s not a slight to any of the other one’s to say that woodies are my favorite.
Over the years I’ve had a few chances to photograph them, but I’ll admit, it was more of an opportunistic thing, rather than by any grand design or effort. Do really photograph them right it’s probably best to set up a blind somewhere and apply a lot of patience.
Still, if you come across an cooperative drake on the river, and he’s happy to get his picture taken, who am I to argue. He enjoyed riding the waves and hanging with a mix of other ducks on a cold an wintry day. I can’t blame him for looking for company.