Central and southern Minnesota could see thunderstorms, high winds, large hail and tornadoes

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An amateur photographer's patience paid off with a stunning photo of a female duck followed by dozens of ducklings on a northern Minnesota lake.

Brent Cizek of Bemidji, Minn., says he took his tiny boat out on windy Lake Bemidji in late June when he spotted "a big blob of birds."

Cizek later returned and saw the birds grouped in a circle. As the ducks headed out, Cizek took close to 50 shots — the best showing a common merganser, a freshwater duck, trailed by 56 ducklings in a row.

Here are some ducks doing duck things

Cizek says he "knew the image was special." It's featured on the 

Richard O. Prum, an ornithologist at Yale University, tells 

 that many ducklings together is "an extraordinary sighting."

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The Associated Press

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Brent Cizek of Bemidji says he took his tiny boat out on windy Lake Bemidji in late June when he spotted "a big blob of birds."

A common merganser and a large group of ducklings following her

Make way for ducklings! Minnesota photographer gets rare shot

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