Ring Necked Duck-Another Lifer for me

I have a feeling I will be picking up a quite a few lifers over the next few months considering I am so new to birding. I went to a pond in Millbury right before the transfer station just to see what was there. I normally don't go to this pond much because I don't know it that well and tend to stick to the places I am familiar with which is something I am trying not to do now that the weather is getting warmer.

I saw these ducks while walking on the trail that follows the pond. At first I thought they were Scaups until I came home and looked at my Peterson Field Guide. If you look at the first picture you can see the ring around its neck if you enlarge the picture.

Here is one with his gal. Very pretty ducks but skittish! All waterfowl are going to be my nemesis birds this year because they are so difficult to photograph First, you can't get close to them because they are in the water. Second, they fly off right the minute you make eye contact with them. Third the glare of the sun in the water makes all of the photos too bright.

According to Peterson the Ring Necked Ducks don't make it a habit of living in Massachusetts and are just passing through to go further north. I am hoping they are still there next weekend when I go back.

Last some Canada Geese. These two were very well mannered today which is a lot different than winter when they were very hungry and obnoxious. I am telling you I feared for my safety whenever I saw these geese in the winter. They would all run after me thinking I was there to feed them bread!!! I do indeed have bread in my car at all times in case I need it for bait and always wound up giving them some, but it was always a game of Russian Roulette with these birds. Today they were enjoying the sunshine and eating natural food.

P.S. The Pileated WP was at the cemetery all day today. I didn't see his mate though. I am wondering if they have already built a nest somewhere and that is where she is??