If Colorado isn’t in a drought currently, we are certainly headed that way. It has been dry, dry, dry since, well, July? Something like that.

And I think it is affecting the bird populations, because we haven’t had very many around, at all. That means I’ve been going to the creek, where there is still water flowing. And that means I’ve been driven to photographing ducks.

I don’t have anything against ducks, I guess. I just find them kinda … boring.

I mean, here’s a mallard. This is my archtype duck. The most exciting thing going on with him is he has orange feet, and the feathers on his head can change from green to blue to black, depending on the light. Yawn.

There is a mallard in the upper left, with his head looking very dark because there is no light reflecting off it right now. The other two ducks are a male and female widgeon. Kinda like their blue bills, and the patterning on their feathers is rather intricate.

And his white racing stripe on his forehead gives him a rather sporty look.

Below is a male ring-necked duck. You know it is a ring-necked duck because of the ring around the base of it’s bill. What?

Evidently there is a ring around it’s neck, too, but it is impossible to see unless the duck is stretched out.

Here’s a male northern shoveler. Again his plumage is gorgeous, but it’s hard not to make jokes about his big shovel bill.

He’s giving me stink eye, so he must have read my comment above about his bill. This is why I should remember: if I can’t say anything nice, I shouldn’t say anything at all.

This female golden-eye is using her golden eye to give me a Resting Bitch Face look. She must not have liked my comment either. Or maybe the tone of my entire post. Sigh.

Her mate is swimming away — evidently he doesn’t want to get involved. Wise duck.

Okay, I’ll admit I was wrong. There is more to ducks than just mallards, and they are gorgeous and varied. I’ll try to be more open minded about ducks from now on.