Mallard Duck: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, January 2026 — For the first time in maybe 5 years, the Mousam River is frozen almost all the way up to the dam in Kennebunk. Even the rapids below the dam are closing up. The Mallards are concentrated in the open water between ice flows, where the rapid water is moving too fast for ice to form. I caught this female just as she lifted off to move from one open area to another. By accident, the camera was set to ISO 12,800 (there is a button on the back I have to be careful of, especially in two layers of gloves), so it is at 1/8000 second, and she is frozen (no pun intended) in mid-air above the frozen river. Perhaps, in fact, she is moving to say ahead of being frozen herself. Sony a7CR. Tamron 150-500 at 500mm field of view (cropped to something like 750mm). Program with an accidentally high ISO and my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.