Point blank and right there, it’s the moment of truth; all water fowlers wait for this scene with great anticipation.  I have been out in the blind many a time, and saw them coming from far away, and hoped that they would find my spread and drop in for a visit.  These beauties are settling in for the evening and have found a sheltered bay to land in and rest up.  Officially, they are called “Ring-Necks” and often called “Ring-Bills” or my favorite, “Black-Jacks”.  All duck hunters have their own terminology but the final analysis is fast movers that are hard to hit on the wing.  They are great acrobats in the air and move in and out of the marsh with the blink of your eye.  You have to be a lake gunner to see them usually, as they hang out on the big lakes, and come to the marsh for resting in the evenings.  Always a joy to see, this portrayal is that moment when they always seem to catch you standing flatfooted and out in the open.  I hope you enjoy this little scene as much as I did creating it, and “May They Always Fly”- Daniel F. Heuer