Wood Duck @ Ashbridges Bay

[nana]

A beautiful male Wood Duck is hunkered down with the mallards beside the boat ramp at Ashbridges Bay. It's been there for a week or two now.
Very very cold wind and lots of ice if you head out to walk. However you can drive right up to see the Wood Duck and not leave the car!
Usual winter ducks and gulls out along the shore. The marina is solid ice.

[Rotarran]

Well it looks like this Wood Duck is a permanent resident of Ashbridges Bay.  And he seems very content hanging out with the Mallards and is particularly smitten by one (or more) of the Mallard females.  It's quite cute to observe how he follows her around and trying to shoo off any potential suitors.  

I shot a video of him scolding some of the other ducks...he sounds so cute: http://youtu.be/maRN-Zz2lRA

[SarahBHood]

I love your video. I live close by and hope to pop down and have a look; the winter ducks just about break my heart with their beauty and spirit.

[DaveD]

The wood duck is still in the area. Ive seen it a few times over the past few weeks. Still hanging out with the mallards, too.

[SarahBHood]

I went down to have a look but the ducks were fairly far offshore and if it was there, I couldn't spot it. Saw some  buffleheads, though. And this duck: https://www.flickr.com/photos/44302651@N00/15575072534/, which I couldn't identify (youthful or winter colouration of something I should know?) I'm not a very good duck identifier.

[Rotarran]

General impression is that of a Gadwall.

[DaveD]

The wood duck is still present. Found it yesterday on the lake side of the Ashbridges Bay point, with a few malards. The bulk of the malard/canvasback and gadwall group was still on the marina side.

[Rotarran]

The wood duck is still present. Found it yesterday on the lake side of the Ashbridges Bay point, with a few malards. The bulk of the malard/canvasback and gadwall group was still on the marina side.

Canvasback or Redheads?

[DaveD]

whops, I guess that they are red-heads. I didnt realize that the two were so close!

[Rotarran]

whops, I guess that they are red-heads. I didnt realize that the two were so close!

No problem, it's just that Canvasbacks are far less common, rare even especially when compared to Redheads.  I myself haven't seen one since 2013 and that's part of the reason I asked.