The morning I set out to track down Goldeneyes and Mergansers, rare ducks to see in the middle of winter, I camped out along shore of the Merrimack River where a flock of Mallard ducks was accumulating. As the morning went on, a pair of Mallards would fly in, one after another. I watched them swim around, search for food, graze along shore, climb up onto frozen islands and go down back into the water, bathe, and even mate. One of the female Mallards hopped up on shore and started walking over towards me. She perched right next to a big rock and sat there. A male, I assume is her mate, walked up behind her keeping an eye on her. © Christie Wrazen 2016, Manchester NH, Tripod-mounted.