This pair of Mottled Ducks was swimming in and out of patches of late afternoon sun on a shallow pond.

I stopped at a bench at the edge of the pond and they watched me as I watched them.

Baily Tract, Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
January 6, 2020
I used the Merlin App to identify these as Mottled Ducks. Further reading at Cornell’s All About Birds:
It’s reminiscent of a female Mallard or an American Black Duck, but this is the closely related Mottled Duck. They’re so closely related that hybridization, especially with Mallards, poses a real threat to the Mottled Duck’s future.
In Florida, hybridization with introduced Mallards has produced many so-called “Muddled Ducks,” and care is needed to confirm identification of a “pure” Mottled Duck.
You captured them in beautiful light. I’d love to see one.
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It was about perfect light just before the sun went down. They are quite pretty, rather stately looking, too.
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Lovely photo… Wonderful lighting!
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Thank you! I had gone to this area hoping for a nice sunset glow on the water which never happened, but this was pretty good!
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