Waterfowl
Ducks, geese, egrets — the wetlands and the birds that rule them.
The wetland birds
Ducks, geese, egrets, and herons — birds of the marsh, the pond, and the shore. They're big enough to ID from across a lake, if you know the shape.
What to look for
shape bill, neck, and silhouette behavior dabbling vs diving flight often in lines or V's best seen dawn and dusk, still water
Quick marks
A great egret is all white with a yellow bill. A great blue heron is a gray spear that stands frozen in the shallows. Learn the silhouettes first.