More Images from North Chagrin

These images of a female and male wood duck depict the differences in their appearance. Fall is an especially good time to photograph them because they have just molted and look their best. The top photo shows the autumn trees reflected in the water while the bottom photo brings out the iridescent head of the male duck. No wonder North Chagrin is so popular with photographers!

Return to North Chagrin

Around the same time last year I attended a photo workshop in Ohio focusing on wood ducks. I had so much fun that I decided to return on my own. This time I had plenty of sunshine. Another plus was the fact that the deck near the nature center and a trail to another deck were finished. This allowed me to zip around checking on possible photo opportunities. I knew the ropes by now and, when the lighting was good, I was ready with my camera and lawn chair to await the action. And action I got.
Besides wood ducks, I also observed Canada geese, a great blue heron, red-winged blackbirds, chickadees, a robin, and a marsh wren. It is no wonder that the park was very popular with visitors young and old. I consider it one of the best places I have photographed birds at so far.

The Wood Duck

The wood duck is one of a few ducks in North America that nests in trees near water. Many people consider it to be the most beautiful of all waterfowl. You can count me among them now. I think they look like swimming paintings.
Wood ducks readily nest in boxes, and that's how they were introduced to North Chagrin Reservation. As you can see on this photo, the head of a wood duck drake is iridescent. While the females look more drab, they also have a crest and beautiful plumage. Most remarkable is their white eye ring.
They feed off seeds, acorn, fruits, and invertebrates. At North Chagrin, they often picked up pieces of wood out of the pond.
Wood ducks pair up in January and are usually paired by the time they reach their breeding grounds. They are probably gone by now, but they'll be back in Ohio next year, ready to enchant us again with their beauty.