duck, duck, duck, goose! i mean duck.

First, i'd like to apologize to everyone that was completely grossed out by my last entry. I received some complaints. Unfortunately, my friends, life isn't always pleasant - especially if you're an african cichlid residing in an poorly-lit tank. To makeup for the heavy dose of reality, I thought i'd share a more pleasant piece of fiction - a story of a girl (yours truly), and some ducks. Well one particular big-ass, funny looking duck (see above).

I visited the Duck pond this past weekend. As a part of my lab we need to go on four birding excursions outside of class and I figured it was time to venture out. Will, the Muscovy Duck - (we'll call him Will for the time being for lack of a better name) immediatly greeted me. I wasn't sure how to take his welcome. He was hissing some and had his feathers out. He seemed to be aggressive. Swans are known to be quite powerful, but this guy somehow wasn't so intimidating.

I began to walk around and he followed me so close that i almost tripped over him a few times. Not unlike Chaya on the trail, he was literally within a foot or two at all times! (see below)

Others arrived in a car and he decided to share the love with them as well. He took to pecking at their feet when they began to talk to each other instead of paying attention to him as they obviously should have (no doubt anyone at the duck pond is there to see willy). I spoke to them for a few minutes as one was a fellow-eco. Then went back to id'ing and photographing ducks.

After a while, i felt a funny peck at my feet. I looked down to find Willy - nibbling on my shoes and camera bag! Ignoring good old Will was certainly unacceptable behavior on my part. He let me pet him.

Stupid humans - taking pictures instead of feeding me, WILLY, the badass Muscovy Duck.
~ as spoken by Will the duck (i'm the voice of will since he wasn't up to blogging tonight)

RUDE! i thought. this duck obviously has no manners what-so-ever. And he didn't! I continued on identifying ducks and chatted with Will for a bit. Surprisingly he didn't have much to say. He wasn't bad company to be honest. I'd certainly take the big guy in if i had a giant pond in my back yard. My neighbors would love it!

Below are some of the species I saw:

Wood ducks!

Mallards

Left: Black Duck; Right: Female Wood duck

Wood duck couple - awwww.

Horned grebe (2 mallards in the back).
Will and I said farewell and I was on my way. It was just another day at the duck pond. I wonder how he and Chaya would get along anyway...
To be continued...