It's the offseason for most of the East End, but it's high season for bird watchers - particularly those who enjoy ducks.
While many Long Island residents - human and duck - head for the sunny shores of Florida and other places at this time of year, this region is "south for the winter" for many species of waterfowl, particularly those that reside in the Arctic and the boreal forests of northern Canada.
"That's the fun thing that people don't realize," Peggy Lauber, president of the North Fork Audubon Society, said. "For them, this is their warm grounds, warm water for swimming, because they come down from the Arctic."
This time of year, if you can brave the cold, you're almost guaranteed to see some of these weird ducks around the East End, particularly in inlets.
The phrase "Weird Duck Time" was popularized by birdwatcher and cartoonist Rosemary Mosco when describing the four seasons of bird watching. Many of these ducks are strikingly different from the usual mallards commonly seen on Long Island, according to the Audubon Society.
Hooded Merganser
With striking plumage and a distinctive crest, the hooded merganser is one of North America's most eye-catching ducks. Males boast bold black-and-white patterns with a large, fan-shaped white crest that expands when displaying, while females have a more subdued brownish-gray appearance with a shaggy, cinnamon-colored crest. These small diving ducks are agile swimmers, using their serrated bills to catch fish, insects and crustaceans.