Both of these species share a similar habitat, hang out together and freely crossbreed, producing hybrids which sometimes make it hard to determine which species you are looking at. This female appears to be a female mallard, but the dark bill gives me pause. Female mallards are suppose to have an orange bill while black duck females have a olive colored bill. The leading white edge of her wing feathers (called the speculum) also makes me think it is a mallard.
At any rate, it was the golden, low-angled early morning light that motivated me to take the photo. That, and the fact that she is facing into the light so her face was not in shadows. It is always a bonus if you can catch a glint in their eye, which makes them look more lively. Sometimes, it is a matter of just waiting a bit longer for the bird to turn it's head at just the right angle to capture a glint. And, sometimes, they never do, which is always frustrating.
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