Identity Crisis of the Wood Duck

A "woody" has decided to privilege the refuge this year taking up at least temporary residence this winter. Now that I have my new scope, when the weather breaks I hope to try to attempt some close up shots. I considered going out this morning however flurries are expected today and the sky it dark and gray.

For the first several days he was there, he always swam with the mallards and tried to make advances towards some of the mallard hens who would simply not have any of that. The drake mallards being protective of their females would always break up any attempt made by the woody.

After a couple of days, a female woody came in and after about two days the pair mated then the hen disappeared. After that, "Mr. Woody" was back amongst the mallards. My friend and I laugh saying it has and identity crisis. He swims in the middle of the group like he is just one of them.

The hen has came back but the two just do not seem to group together as you would expect. Watching the other species of waterfowl on the lake, like kinds of male and female group together but rarely do the Wood Duck pair. This shot of the pair together was just before the pair mated.