Photographing Waterfowl?

Here's how to make those otherwise boring shots more interesting

American coot on a pond near San Diego, California | © Jason P. Odell

If you’re just getting started photographing birds, then a very easy and plentiful subject is ducks and other waterfowl on ponds or lakes. The challenge here is to make an interesting photograph with birds that (mostly) sit motionless on the water. Aside from capturing behaviors like feeding or flying, how can you spice up your waterfowl shots? I mean, many of these birds are quite colorful, especially during their breeding season.