If it seems like there are a lot of ducks around all of a sudden, there really aren’t. It’s just that the polar vortex froze a lot of the water where the ducks are, and so they are congregating in smaller areas to feed.
These photos were taken on Pequotsepos Cove, off Route 1 in Mystic. You can see mallards, hooded mergansers and some American black ducks here.
Mallards are ‘dabblers,’ meaning they feed in shallow waters (they tip under and back up to feed), while mergansers are divers, and can feed in deeper water.
This time of year in local waters you can see buffleheads, hooded and red breasted mergansers, common golden eye, ruddy ducks, American black ducks, American coots, and, of course, mallards.
Feel free to share your duck photos with us on Facebook!
Text and photos by Elissa Bass
