Hen Canvasback preening her belly feathers, Salt Lake County, UtahHen Canvasback preening her belly feathers – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

I took this photo of a hen Canvasback preening her belly feathers at my local pond back in January of 2021 and thought I would share it this morning.

For me, laughter is great medicine and this hen Canvasback image makes me laugh every time I see it. The female diving duck was simply preening but her pose on the icy cold water makes me giggle. I don’t know why it has taken me almost two years to share this photo but today is as good a day as any.

After all the tenseness leading up to Election Day here in the U.S. plus me having an all day long sinus headache yesterday, I know that I need to laugh.

I usually think of Canvasbacks as being elegant ducks that I see on ponds close to home and out on the marshes surrounding the Great Salt Lake. This image reminds me that even female ducks like to succumb to the urge to wiggle and kick up their feet.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Canvasback photos plus facts and information about this species.