Waterfowl on the Skokie Lagoons

 There was a huge group of these birds (presumably some sort of duck) on the

 Skokie Lagoons today, which is significantly more than are usually on the Lagoon.

 It might just be that they only stay around of winter and then migrate during the 

rest of the year. The design of their feathers and the color of their eyes are-- I think-- 
somewhat mesmerizing and a bit alien; like the cormorants which are
 around during the summer.

There were several bird-watchers who were admiring a flock of these 

birds and I feel sort of guilty because when I approached the birds to take 

a photo they flew away and the bird-watchers were forced to follow the 

flock to the other part of the Lagoon. At an rate, these two photos of the

 birds as they were flying away from me are pretty nice.

Winnetka

Taken in February 2012