So, right after I post yesterday that my interest is shifting more towards mammals (especially mammals in landscape), I go out and photograph a bird. Go figure. I had heard that there was a Mandarin Duck (also known simply as Mandarin) hanging out in the pond at the Berryessa Community Center over a week ago. I took Maya last week to check it out but without a camera (I just wasn't in the mood I guess). Its a beautiful bird but the wooden fence around the pond makes it difficult to make interesting images (because you need to get low).
I managed to make a couple of decent images with him (its the Mandarin Drake that has the unique look) until he decided that he'd had enough of the water and came out of the pond and onto the grass.
It was about the 6:30 by then and the light was getting low and warm. Eventually some kids managed to scare him off and he took off back into the water.