Diving Duck

The first time I visited our house I noticed this little guy. He's usually within site of our dock, but hasn't been close enough to get a good picture. Every time I see him he's hard at work, usually swimming and diving into the wind and staying submerged for 30 seconds or more. Yesterday as I was getting ready for work, I glanced out and noticed him a little closer in than usual. I was surprised to see that he had a friend. I grabbed the camera and got a few pictures. A little research today and I've identified him as a Bufflehead, a type of sea duck. Sure enough, the darker one is a female. I'm not sure if they'll stay here year-round, or leave when the weather breaks. According to the article I read, diving ducks have recently made a comeback in the Bay after years of steady decline. I found a map that showed the Bufflehead's range stretching into Tennessee, but I don't ever remember seeing them on the lake. Here's a link to a site with more information about them. I've nicknamed this little duck "Hiccups" because he reminds me of some words in an 19th century blues tune called "Drunkard's Hiccups." I borrowed a little of the lyric when I wrote this line in, "Corn Mash Whiskey Blues."

If the river was corn whiskey and I was a diving-down duck
If the river was corn whiskey and I was a down-diving duck
I'd dive down to the bottom and drink my way back up

-Shawn