Wednesday, August 29, 2018 730 pm
I took a short bike ride to the boat launch ramp just before dusk. A time to enjoy the beauty and calm of the evening; and monitor any duck activity on the river. One boat floated by the bridge waiting for a fish to bite.
One duck walked up the ramp sniffing for food. It began talking to me in duck speak. Was it was asking, “Didn’t you bring me anything?” I had already given away all my grapes the days before. This time I came empty handed. The duck did not stay long for conversation. It flew away and landed in the river. I was busy watching and did not catch a photo.
I know the strategy for touch down in the water – wings out and legs outstretched at a slight angle to hit the water as if they were skiing. Once they body hits the water, they fold their wings and settle into the water. How do they take off? Now I know.
The duck, standing two feet from me, took a huge leap into the air, started flapping its wings and airborne, turned toward the river, and landed on its “water skis.”