Blue-winged Teal -Life List

Blue-winged Teal are very unusual to see in Virginia, they usually migrate much further south but a small group has made Dutch Gap Conservation Area in Chester VA their winter home.  They have been maintaining a distance from the many, many birders who have flocked to DGCA to see them making it hard to get photographs but on this particular later morning I was lucky enough to see this beautiful female sunning, eating and swimming right off-shore near pier #1.  

Dutch Gap Conservation Area, Chester VA

Olympus OMD-EM1X,  Olympus 100-400 lens + MC-14

Proud Male Mallard

Such calm ducks Mallards are, until you get in their space or near there off-spring then it is all out war.  This handsome one was sitting on the shore watching his lady and I assume offspring swimming along the pond at Midlothian Mines Park as you can see in a very proud stance.  I was a far enough distance away not to disturb his moment of pride but close enough to get this portrait without needing to crop.  

This @getolympus, on this camera is giving off some great detail and sharpness.  Pretty happy with the combo.  

Olympus OMD-EM1X, 100-400 Olympus lens. 

Female Mallard in Flight