Ghost birds

Wood ducks are like phantoms.  They are here and suddenly they are gone.  They land in the water with hardly a sound, and as soon as they see me they take off.   I scared up these two and they landed again at the far end of the pond. 

Yesterday I spied a group of 8 when I was in the sunroom.  Like the blue herons, they can see my movement in the sunroom and will bolt if they do, so I have to move slowly.  These are all juveniles.  The males have not yet developed their mature plumage, that will be next spring.  There has never been a nesting pair on the pond, but for the last few years the juveniles have been hanging around here in late summer after they leave the mother.  It's not a very good picture, at the limits of the camera's zoom and through the window.

This morning they were back, but this time only 7.  They seem to have a good time dipping in the aquatic vegetation and feeding.  I finally had to go into the garden and off they went.  This winter I plan to put up a nest box at the upper end of the pond.  I love to watch them and it would be great to have a nesting pair in the pond.