Very nice family portrait and sometimes I am amazed that they get some of the chicks through at all considering all the predators. The plumage of the chicks looks pretty neat. To avoid the white areas a very low angle might work.
Cute ducks James. Looks like the lighting was not hitting at an optimal angle as the water is very bright, I agree that getting the camera lower would help here.
Interesting, I see your point about the whites from the cloudy sky changing the real color of the water but I think the green and white bands give the image an artsy, almost surreal feeling. Anyone else? Or is it just too far off from being a technically correct representation of water?