Gadwall

I'll take a short break from posting photos of Mexico, and post some recent (and not so recent) bird photographs, before returning to Mexico for a series of Day of the Dead photos (they'll be worth the wait!).

Now that December is here, southern California's winter specialties have all returned, such as our winter shorebirds, ducks, Savannah sparrows, White-crowned Sparrows and Yellow-rumped Warblers.

Here is a Gadwall in very pleasing light, photographed at Santee Lakes the morning after Thanksgiving. While all ducks are pretty, I think the Gadwall's subtle markings and feather patterns are especially handsome.