First Ring-neckeds

Despite the consistent cold, at least parts of the local river have remained ice-free. In years past, when global warming was more in evidence, many of our lakes and ponds were also open water, and by now, they were beginning to be filled with ducks, some that had spent the winter on the coast but many more that represented the vanguard of avian migrants. Among the first long-distance travelers to arrive are the Ring-necked Ducks. You rarely can see the actual ring around the neck, which was especially prominent to taxonomists examining dead birds in museum collections, but there's nothing obscure about the other field marks of the species: the male's striking colors and the curiously peaked head of both sexes. This pair, the first I've seen in 2014, arrived just ahead of the arrival of Winter Storm Titan, which is supposed to bring snow and bitter cold to our area. Another day, another blizzard. I'm not fazed. Neither are the Ring-neckeds.