Mama Wood Duck and her ducklings in the murky marsh. #Wordless Wednesday #In 2026 the Wood Duck became Michigan’s state duck.

Posted on July 29, 2026 by Linda Schaub

Wordless Wednesday – allow your photo(s) to tell the story.

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About Linda Schaub

This is my first blog and I enjoy writing each post immensely. I started a walking regimen in 2011 and in 2013 I decided to create a blog as a means of memorializing the people, places and things seen on my daily walks. I have always enjoyed people watching, so my blog is peppered with folks I meet or reflections of characters I have known through the years. Often something piques my interest, or evokes a pleasant memory from my memory bank, so this becomes a “slice o’ life” blog post. I respect and appreciate nature and my interactions with Mother Nature’s gifts is also a common theme. Sometimes the most-ordinary items become fodder for points to ponder over and touch upon. I retired in March 2024 after a career in the legal field. I was a legal secretary for almost 45 years, primarily working in downtown Detroit, then working from my home. I graduated from Wayne State University with a degree in Mass Communications (print journalism) in 1978, though I’ve never worked in that field. I would like to think this blog is the writer in me finally emerging!! Walking and writing have met, shaken hands and the creative juices are flowing in Walkin’, Writin’, Wit & Whimsy. I hope you think so too. - Linda Schaub
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35 Responses to Mama Wood Duck and her ducklings in the murky marsh. #Wordless Wednesday #In 2026 the Wood Duck became Michigan’s state duck.

  1. Laurie's avatar Laurie says:
    July 29, 2026 at 6:36 am

    You were lucky to get close enough to Mama and her ducklings to get such excellent pictures! Too bad Papa wasn’t around too. He’s so handsome.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:
      July 29, 2026 at 5:07 pm

      Thank you Laurie! It was way across the marsh, so I kind of held my breath on how good the photos would come out, plus the reflections on a murky surface left me doubtful. I was ecstatic in the Spring of 2025 to see a Wood Duck couple up close, my first, not in the water, just foraging near a picnic table … it was my lucky day. They were so beautiful, yes, especially the male.

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  2. J P's avatar J P says:
    July 29, 2026 at 7:01 am

    Murky Marsh indeed! Could it also be called duck muck? 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Barbara Rodgers's avatar Barbara Rodgers says:
    July 29, 2026 at 8:41 am

    I love seeing the duckling riding on its mother’s back. ♡ (At least I think that’s what I’m seeing in the fourth picture.)

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:
      July 29, 2026 at 5:58 pm

      Barbara, I want to agree it is riding on its mother’s back, but I think it is behind it. I sure like your version better though. 🙂 I took the photos across the marsh and, between the distance, the murky water and the reflections, I hesitated using the shots, but Mama Wood Ducks and their ducklings are a fun find, so I used them. Seeing ducklings is always a treat for me, especially Wood Duck ducklings. This year I’ve hardly seen any Mallard ducklings and once the Mama duck sees me, she steers her ducklings fast and furiously away from me. I was lucky to find three older Mallard ducklings with their Mama right underneath the pavilion at Dingell Park a few weeks ago. I went to take photos of one DIA art installation there. The rest of the paintings are spread out in that city. I went to the edge of the water and they were cuddled up with their Mama who was picking her feathers while they looked up at me like “who are you lady?”

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Debbie D.'s avatar Debbie D. says:
    July 29, 2026 at 10:57 am

    That marsh does look murky! Great shots of the duck family, regardless. Happy Wednesday, Linda! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  6. dawnkinster's avatar dawnkinster says:
    July 29, 2026 at 11:00 am

    I’ve never seen the papa wood duck hang out with mom and the babies. Not that I’ve seen any of them very often. I usually only see them up at the Shiawasee Wildlife Preserve. I wonder if papa leaves all the child raising work to mom?

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:
      July 29, 2026 at 6:05 pm

      Same here Dawn. This is only the second time I’ve seen a Mama Wood Duck and her babies at Lake Erie Metropark and always in a secluded area of the marsh, so they almost blend in. I don’t even see Mallard Papa Ducks with the family. I guess the female gets all the child-rearing tasks. I think the ducklings probably learn to forage early as I’ve never seen ducklings being fed like cranes/egrets/herons and songbirds are.

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  7. Anne Mehrling's avatar Anne Mehrling says:
    July 29, 2026 at 11:44 am

    I love wood ducks. I used to see them every spring in NY.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. Pepper's avatar Pepper says:
    July 29, 2026 at 1:08 pm

    Nice photos of the wood ducks, Linda. I had no idea that Michigan had a state duck. 😊

    Liked by 1 person

  9. ruthsoaper's avatar ruthsoaper says:
    July 29, 2026 at 6:53 pm

    Nice photos, Linda. We have a state duck???

    Liked by 1 person

  10. Terri Webster Schrandt's avatar Terri Webster Schrandt says:
    July 29, 2026 at 10:50 pm

    Beautiful reflections, Linda. Handsome looking ducks!

    Liked by 1 person

  11. Rebecca's avatar Rebecca says:
    July 30, 2026 at 10:12 pm

    A pretty little duck. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen one of these. I looked it up, and we don’t have a state duck.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:
      July 30, 2026 at 10:17 pm

      I think they are pretty too Rebecca – the male Wood Ducks are stunning with their multi-colored plumage. I was surprised we were getting a state duck and I believe we were only the third state to do this. It just became official in March this year.

      Liked by 1 person

  12. Tom's Nature-up-close Photography and Mindfulness Blog's avatar Tom's Nature-up-close Photography and Mindfulness Blog says:
    July 30, 2026 at 11:40 pm

    It should have been the Donald Duck or Daffy Duck species. 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:
      July 31, 2026 at 8:09 pm

      Yes, you’re right Tom. 🙂 I was surprised they decided to have a state duck for Michigan – that just happened back in March this year. We already have a state bird, the Robin.

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      • Tom's Nature-up-close Photography and Mindfulness Blog's avatar Tom's Nature-up-close Photography and Mindfulness Blog says:
        July 31, 2026 at 11:23 pm

        The state bird for Illinois is the Cardinal. I saw a beautiful male one yesterday while looking out of the kitchen window. They are plentiful here around the river. A lot of bugs like being by the river and the Cardinals like eating the bugs. I hope that they are all doing well despite the Canada smoke (which is especially harmful to all the birds with excellent lungs).

        Liked by 1 person

      • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:
        August 1, 2026 at 4:26 pm

        Tom, I think male Cardinals are the most beautiful of all the songbirds. We used to have many more around here. I hate to think it is because there are too many birds of prey living in this area now, Cooper’s Hawks especially, that prey on birds. I see Sparrows rest inside my tall Golden Vicary bush in the backyard. I say “rest” because, when I go into the backyard, they all fly out of the bush at one time. There are no nests, they just perch there and have for years. I was outside one day and saw them head to the bush, even though I was there. Thinking that was odd, I looked around and there was a Cooper’s Hawk sitting on the chain-link fence. It made me feel sick to see that. About 10 years ago we had many Peregrine Falcons in the neighborhood and I was told this was why we no longer have Pigeons. I don’t know if that is true or not. I feel badly for all the birds dealing with the wildfire smoke. As a general rule, they overwinter here, so I don’t think it would occur to them to leave, but likely wherever they go, they’ll encounter the same smoke.

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  13. AnnMarie Stevens's avatar AnnMarie Stevens says:
    July 31, 2026 at 8:53 pm

    Miss Linda…………………………..thank you for telling me about the Wood Duck becoming our State Duck………………………………everyone here at the American House loves the ducks……………………………..in our Duck Pond!!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:
      August 1, 2026 at 4:18 pm

      Ann Marie, I was surprised to hear about the Wood Duck becoming our State Bird too … that just happened in March this year. I think they made a good pick, as they are beautiful and unique looking, especially the males. I think it is peaceful for the residents at American House to look out their windows, or stroll the grounds and see ducks in the duck pond.

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  14. Prior...'s avatar Prior... says:
    August 5, 2026 at 12:29 pm

    ducks are great but the water lines and murky vibe steal the show for me today – enjoyed the post and there was a calming vibe….

    Liked by 2 people

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