Gadwall

Out today, trolling for opportunities to photograph waterbirds along the Potomac River. Pictured here is a pretty poor picture of a pair of Gadwall. Nevertheless, I published this photo to my blog because I kind of like it; proof, I suppose, that photographs need not be perfect to have meaning.

Here in Virginia, Gadwall is a mostly common transient and winter resident. Gadwall breed on ponds, lakes, and marshes, most often in the Dakotas and prairie states and provinces. In the last century, Gadwall populations in the eastern U.S. have expanded rapidly. Consequently, Gadwall is a confirmed breeder in Virginia.

Reference

"Complete Birds Of North America." Edited by Jonathan Alderfer. National Geographic Society, 2006; p. 18.