Mandarin Duck at Sunset Over Glacial Stream

Rich amber light from the setting sun washes over a still forest pond in early spring Iowa. A mandarin duck floats motionless on the water, its iridescent plumage catching the warm glow against a backdrop of soft green willows. Thin fog hovers just above the surface, blurring the edges of the pond and the distant tree line. The water reflects the orange sky and the dark silhouette of the duck from a rear perspective. Ripples barely disturb the glassy surface near the bird's tail feathers. A small patch of mist rises from the water where the duck's body breaks the stillness.