Speckled teal are small, social, neatly-patterned little ducks found in much of South America.   These were feeding in a small puddle of rainwater in Parque Nacional Torres del Paine in south Chile.

• digital captures; Canon 1D3 or 40D, 500 mm f4 IS lens plus 1.4X or 2X converter, many with fill-in flash (2009)