Molten Morning Wood Duck
Beneath a sky of molten gold he glides,
a living painting drifting through silence.
I wait—Sony in hand, heart racing—
the world narrowing to one perfect frame.
For a breath, the wild pauses just for me,
the lensman, the birdman, chasing wonder.
Then click—and the moment lives forever,
feathers, light, and gratitude captured in time.
© Christopher Dodds Dec. 2025
There’s a special kind of quiet that settles over the duck pond before sunrise—the kind you feel more than hear. The world is still blue and cold, breath hanging in the air, fingertips reminding you that nature photography isn’t always as glamorous as the finished image suggests. But honestly, I love this part. It’s where the day begins, where anticipation builds, where hope hangs thick in the air. You never truly know what the morning will deliver out here, and that uncertainty is half the magic.
As the first hint of colour creeps across the horizon, the pond slowly wakes up. A thin veil of fog drifts lazily across the surface, lifting and swirling like it has a mind of its own. Shapes begin to form through it—ghostly silhouettes at first—until ducks come to life. Wings stretch, ripples travel across the golden stillness, and the soft sounds of the marsh remind you that the wild world is already moving, even if the sun hasn’t quite arrived.
Then the light finally hits—and not just any light. This is the kind photographers dream about. Soft, golden, warm… it paints everything with a glow that feels almost unreal. The fog lights up, the water turns to liquid gold, and right in the middle of it all, a Wood Duck glides into the frame like he owns the morning. Every feather, every colour, every perfect detail comes alive. And yes—moments like this are exactly why we get up early, embrace the cold, and wait with ridiculous amounts of patience.
Sony in hand, heart racing, everything narrows to one perfect moment. And sometimes, if you’re lucky, nature pauses… just long enough to let you create something unforgettable.
