Anyone out there have an idea of the bird I saw on Trout Lake a couple of days ago?
The duck is fairly tame, as large or larger than a Mallard, and has beautiful plumage. It's breast wings, and back are a deep, slightly reddish-brown, except for a small blue-green patch on each wing. The head is dark reddish-brown with a slightly darker, small moustache. The bill is dark with an orange tip. The duck has a thick, white neck ring. It has a white rump, white under the tail, and bright orange legs. It was not associating with any other waterfowl. I suspect it might be some domestic or strange Mallard hybrid, but I'm not sure. I've never known of domestics to appear on this lake--do they usually fly or interbreed with wild ducks? Nothing resembling it is in any of my field guides. I took a couple of photos that, while dark, at least show most of these field marks. I could send them to someone who thinks they might have a good idea as to what it is. (I didn't think MOU-NET would appreciate me attaching the photos to this message.) Shawn Conrad Bovey
