I made it out to the Pea Island NWR for a very quick trip last weekend and was pleased to find a small raft of Blue winged Teal hanging out on the North Pond.
It was really neat to be able to spend a few minutes watching these feathered gems at close range. The flock was quite vocal and I learned that the hens quack while the drakes make peeping sounds while calling out to one another.

As with other species of dabbling ducks, Blue-winged Teal are usually seen snacking on shallow freshwater vegetation such as sedges, seeds, and small invertebrates while swimming along a shoreline with emergent vegetation.
They rarely dive but will occasionally roll over underwater while bathing, following up with a good feather shake and a preening session.

Blue winged Teals are generally spring and fall migratory residents of North Carolina. That being said, I’ve seen them as early as late January in the OBX.
Your best bet to see them is in our coastal counties from March-May and then again from late August through October.
Aren’t they beautiful?

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on my beloved full frame 50MP beast, the mighty @canonusa #5Ds