The aristocratic Redhead has always been one of my favorite ducks to see.  I am always asked  what motivates me to paint a certain subject.  My reply, most generally is, the mood I am in or a challenge to try a different technique.   In this painting I tried to bring the expression of the bird to play.  The drake redhead is a beautiful bird in the wild. The head of this bird is very strong with his yellow eye peering as if not to miss any movement a casual observer might make.  I have spent many a fine day in the pursuit of this bird. To see a large flock of redheads bearing down on a spread of decoys is one of my life’s great experiences. Usually, once they have seen your spread, they make a beeline for a quick visit.  They are a large bird in flight and once their wings are set to land, they are a majestic sight.  If, for some reason, the hunter flares these birds, they seem to circle and return for another look. I have always enjoyed my pursuit of this species of duck, and look forward to the next time I will be able to go out and see those magnificent fall flights.