American White Pelican. Photo by Kim Zuch.

Large, graceful pelicans float on smooth water in a reed-lined pond. They’re hunting for fish. Most of the time, they hunt in groups, but sometimes I see one by itself.

Ducks float near the shoreline, occasionally bobbing upside down to riffle through the mud. Some disappear under water completely, only to come back to the surface a few feet away.

A pair of mallards passes by. Something startles them and they take flight. The female quacks as she flies away.