With the blue bill, not sure what else this could be, but doesn’t correspond well to any photos/pictures I have in my books(particularly the orangish patch on the cheek). Perhaps a male coming into breeding plumage
Canon 7DII; Sigma 150-600 at 600 mm; 1/1000 at f7.1; ISO 250
Has to be a winter Ruddy duck, I think the brown patch is just crud the duck has been in, the sides also look muddy or something… nice water…I have never got close to one.
Hi Allen, this is a really beautiful peaceful looking scene. I love the reflection and the water almost looks like a painting.
Nice pic of this ruddy. Composed well and I like the water also. As Dan mentions, a skittish duck - nice job in capturing it.
Definitely a ruddy duck, but I too wonder whether it’s starting to come into its breeding plumage. It looks a little different than the ruddys I used to shoot in the winter. Like the eye contact and the reflection. If mine, I’d clean up the water a bit.
Good for you to get such a nice shot of a bird hard to find. Nice calm water and nice refection. A few spots in the water would be a quick fix.
Hi Allen
This is another first for me, thank you for posting this Ruddy Duck in Nature photographers. The Ruddy Duck is beautiful. The reflection, detail and coloring are great.
Peter
I’d bet this Ruddy is in the middle of changing plumage. My trusty old Peterson says the non-breeding bill is dull blue or gray, this looks like it’s a deep blue about to become the bright blue of breeding season. A very nice image.
