This unusual looking duck appeared in the Killbuck Wetlands one August day. The shape of its body, head, and bill, suggest Mallard, but the coloration is completely different. It is seen here with some Mallards for comparison.
It was definitely by itself. Its repeated attempts to join up with a flock of Mallards were vigorously rebuffed by the Mallards. It finally shook the water from its feathers (below) and swam off to look for a friendlier reception elsewhere.
We consulted with Dr. Kamal Islam of Ball State University who rendered the following opinion: "It appears to be a hybrid of a duck in the genus Anas (specifically a Mallard based on the pattern of the secondaries) with a domestic duck which would also be in the genus Anas. It does not appear to be a hybrid between let's say a Mallard and a Northern Pintail, for example."
This Great Blue Heron was hunting for frogs along the margin of a drainage pond in a residential neighborhood. It seemed to be aware of dogs in the area and perhaps realized that they were restrained by fences or ropes. We have heard of Herons invading backyard fish ponds where they have been know to decimate the goldfish population.