Eyes Left

I've caught a rare moment of symmetry, with all eyes to the left and kind of evenly spaced out. These tufted ducks are focused on a flock of seagulls swooping in to a stretch of the Forth and Clyde Canal, where the ducks are hanging out. The males are all black except for white flanks and blue-grey bills, while the females are brown with paler flanks.

The sun broke through this afternoon and the reflections on the surface of the water were lovely. I pictured a small group near here way back in December but the water was very choppy. These are probably overwintering birds and they've been able to feed well on the mud at the bottom of the canal during this mild wet weather. They disappear one after the other, and then bob up close-by at the surface moments later. They're a joy to watch.