Actually, it's not crackers, but I kind of liked the title, so I went with it anyway. 😋 Someone had thrown some food ( corn kernels, maybe, not sure) onto the ice on the river, and this Mallard was gobbling it down, piece by piece.

I also have to admit that there's one more reason that the title here is inaccurate. This is a male Mallard, and according to AllAboutBirds.org, male Mallards don’t quack; they make a quieter, rasping sound. It's the females that do the standard duck quack.

If you'd like to hear the male sounds (and the female quacks too), you can check them out here: www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mallard/sounds

Tags:   Anas platyrhynchos Fox River Illinois M.Zuiko 100-400mm f/5-6.3 + MC-14 McHenry County McHenry Dam McHenry Dam State Park birds duck food ice male mallard shadow water wildlfe

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A Sandhill Crane flies over smaller birds in the water, including a pair of Mallards, at a local State Park. The Sandhill had just taken off and hadn't yet achieved the typical flight position with both legs together and extended behind in a more aerodynamic position.

Tags:   Anas platyrhynchos Antigone canadensis Illinois M.Zuiko 100-400mm f/5-6.3 + MC-20 McHenry County McHenry Dam State Park Sandhill Crane birds birds in flight bokeh ducks grasses log male mallard square water Sunrays5+

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A Great Blue Heron and a trio of ducks hang out in front of the dam at McHenry Dam State Park, in McHenry County, Illinois.

Crazy Tuesday: "Water" theme

HCT

Tags:   Ardea herodias Crazy Tuesday Fox River Great Blue Heron HCT Illinois M.Zuiko 100-400mm f/5-6.3 + MC-14 McHenry County McHenry Dam State Park birds dam rocks stop action water water churn wildlife ducks mallards Anas platyrhynchos Coth5+ Sunrays+5

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A low flying female Mallard banks through a turn over water on a recent day at Moraine Hills State Park, Illinois.

Happy Wing Wednesday

Tags:   Anas platyrhynchos Bokeh Wednesday HBW HWW Illinois M.Zuiko 100-400mm f/5-6.3 + MC-14 McHenry County McHenry Dam State Park Moraine Hills State Park Wing Wednesday backlight backlit birds birds in flight female mallard mallards nature reflections water waves wildlife

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Common throughout much of North America and Eurasia, Mallard ducks such as this one are strong flyers. Migrating flocks of Mallards have been estimated traveling at 55 miles per hour, according to allaboutbirds.org.

Tags:   Anas platyrhynchos Illinois M.Zuiko 100-400mm f/5-6.3 McHenry County McHenry Dam State Park Moraine Hills State Park bird birds birds in flight duck flying male mallard wildlife Sunrays+5

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