Fall is thick among us. The foliage has turned into brilliant colors and is falling to the ground. Friday night football games move into the championship stages. We may even be pondering the designs for our Christmas cards. 

For non-hunters and non-birders, waterfowl may be the last thing on your mind. And yet, rafts of bobbing bodies dot the waters a few yards from the fringe marsh.

It's fascinating to watch a Ruddy take-off

The Ruddy duck is the first migratory visitor to the York River. It gets its name from the male (drake) who has a rusty-brown colored body during the breeding season. While here, they are in their non-breeding plumage of a grayish-brown. They are colored very similar to the females (hens). Hens have a large band of grayish-white below the eye extending to the neck with the top of the head being black. Drakes have a black head with huge white patches in the cheek and a bright blue bill during the breeding season and duller this time of year.

The Ruddy duck is the first migratory visitor to the York River (this is a hen)

Ruddy ducks can be viewed almost anywhere along the river at our park. The best place to spot them is Croaker Landing where you may even wet a line and haul up a striped bass (rockfish) or a few white perch from the pier. At the main section of the park, guests with limited time can spot them easily from the gazebo at the Maritime Overlook and along the fence leading to the Seining Beach. 

Combine a fossil hike with your waterfowl viewing, or just gaze from the Powhatan Overlook along the Mattaponi Trail. More adventurous hikers can venture further to the Pamunkey and Riverview Overlooks.

A Ruddy drake taking off at York River State Park

A good pair of binoculars or a spotting scope is a must to see the details of these wonderful birds. Photographers will want to bring a 300mm lens or stronger to capture the best images. Dress in layers according to the temperatures and wind. It may feel a bit cooler along the water. 

Be on the lookout for other waterfowl as buffleheads and mergansers may be found among the ruddies. And don’t be surprised to see a raft or two of canvasbacks when the colder air moves in.

Directions to York River State Park:  From I-64, take the Croaker Exit 231B. Go north on Route 607 (Croaker Rd.) for one mile, then right on Route 606 (Riverview Rd.) about one and a half miles to the park entrance. Take a left turn into the park.