wood duck duckling...

...in a milk bath

a very uncommon sight - in my neck of the woods

wood ducks just don't come along all that often - i think we saw 1 or 2 at my little lake last november, that was it - early this spring perhaps there was 1 - then i show up today and a photographer friend of mine says to me "did you happen to see the 9 little wood duck ducklings?" i nearly fell over with excitement - murmuring "no" - and so...

we began the search and wait - around the little lake... suddenly i spotted a round form bobbing out on the water - sure enough - it was a duckling - i thought i was gonna pee in my pants, people! the cutest darn thing ever -

although they didn't come close enough to the edge of the bank for my liking - and mama wasn't anywhere around - i thought that was odd, leaving her young ones to swim unattended - plus the lighting was simply rubbish - none of it mattered! i had the best time oohing and ahhing over these precious ducklings - we counted 6 but there had been 9 last night... i finally decided on this shot - because even though the light's not the greatest - it reminded me of a milk bath - the way the sun is being reflected off the water - not really clear - not totally blue - sort of milky white blue - that'll leave little wood ducks fur all downy soft - what simple moments these were - taking delight in the smallest creature - floating on the water - making for...

a

happy day.....