At least one Virginia rail is hanging out in the big pond at the center of the Charles Rogers Wildlife Refuge in Princeton, and I stopped there before work Monday.
I was hoping as on previous visits merely to hear a rail, a bird that hides among the reeds and rarely ventures into view when birders come near. While I didn’t hear the rail that others have recently reported on e-Bird, I was delighted to see through the reeds a male wood duck floating in the water beyond them.
Focusing was tricky, and after shooting several frames I moved off the observation platform at the parking lot and walked along the trail for a short while. Not seeing much other than a few robins, I turned back toward my car and the observation platform.
Another birder happily pointed to two male wood ducks on tree branches on the back edge of the pond, and one of my shots of that tops this post.
The male wood duck is spectacularly colorful, and the morning sun played the colors up nicely.
I’m not sure where the female wood ducks were — maybe they were hiding in the reeds with the Virginia rail! 🦅
The Jersey Birder 
I always enjoy wood duck photos—they’re like little colour explosions tucked into quiet corners. I haven’t made it to Charles H. Rogers Wildlife Refuge this spring, but your post reminded me of the last time I saw one there, back in early May 2023. I didn’t get a great shot, so it’s a real treat to see them so well captured through your lens.
I’ll be sure to schedule a trip for this weekend.
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Thanks! I hope they’ll still be there for you.
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