Mallard Doing a Deep Dabble

I met this pair of Mallards last winter and went to get a picture of the couple. One difficulty is that you don't always catch the ducks in the most flattering light, such as this female doing a deep dabble in search of food [1]. Though this is a fairly common feeding technique (even among geese), they'll also feed closer to the surface. (At least I think she was feeding; I suppose it's possible she was just camera shy.)

January 1, 2023 at the Raritan Water Power Canal
Photo 251773581, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

[1] Dabbling (among ducks) is feeding in water without completely submerging, as opposed to diving completely underwater. Ducks are generally divided into divers who can disappear from the surface and dabblers who can't/won't do this.

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