Meet the Blue-winged Teal. A member of the geese family, these adorable birds were a beautiful contrast against the clear blue water, but as you can see, can also blend in well with their surroundings when necessary. It was so fun watching them either in pairs or groups make their way throughout the canals.

Did you know…

Pairs and small groups of this tiny dabbling duck inhabit shallow ponds and wetlands across much of North America. Blue-winged Teal are long distance migrants, with some birds heading all the way to South America for the winter. Therefore, they take off early on spring and fall migration, leaving their breeding grounds in the United States and Canada well before other species in the fall. (Cornell University Lab of Ornithology)

The oldest recorded Blue-winged Teal was a male, and at least 23 years, 3 months old.