Another Walk in the Park

Today was overcast, threatening rain, with temps in the 40s. And still no snow. Hmmmmm... Still, there were things to see on my weekly walk in the Dykeman Spring Nature Park, especially in the critter world. One of the resident Muskrats in the north duck pond was out for a swim and a snack; it kept diving and coming up chewing, so apparently the midwinter Duck Weed was fairly tasty. Also one of the resident feral cats was keeping an eye on me from the woods across the pond and on the other side of the creek, weaving in and out of the underbrush like a ghost.

But the most interesting sight today was the group of hybrid ducks who so graphically demonstrated the inherent promiscuity of Mallards. Mallard drakes will pretty much mount anything that quacks, and this results in an infinite variety of results. In fact, the Mallard promiscuity created the modern domestic duck species in all their diversity. This morning it was interesting to see a group of ducks hanging out together who all had different colorings but still carried the print of Mallard patterning. And I'm pretty sure the darkest one was the love child of a Mallard and one of the Indian Runners who were hanging out with the flock last Summer. In any case, come walk with me and take in the sights.

Emerging from the tunnel under the railroad tracks

A Blue Jay hanging out (and as usual making a lot of noise) in the wetland

A shelf fungus along the trail by the red bridge

Duck down on the forest floor by the north duck pond

One of the resident Muskrats out for a swim on the north duck pond

The ghost cat keeping an eye on me from across the pond

Mallard hybrids on the main duck pond

© 2020 by A. Roy Hilbinger