Wood Duck
Aix sponsa
Wood ducks are spectacular birds found across large portions of the U.S. They build their nests out of the water and above ground, sometimes quite high up in tree cavities (average about 20 feet above ground, but sometimes over 50 feet up). One day after the brood hatches, the newborns jump down from their nest to the ground by their calling mother, and waddle along with their mother to the water. The photographs above were taken at Lake Temescal in Oakland, CA on March 8, 2016, right before the start of the nesting season. The upper left photo shows an adult male with two females. The upper right photo is of an adult female, and the lower left is of an adult male. The lower right photo is of an adult pair. Many people are aware of the beauty of the male Wood Ducks, but I believe the females are also beautiful in a more subtle way. (Click on images to see enlarged versions.)