Hi Tweeters--

Today when I got home from work I checked out the local ducks. We normally have Mallards, Wigeons, and a few Shovelers in our neighborhood pond. We also get our share of hybrid/mutt ducks and one white duck that I call Clyde, since that is what Dave Niehaus calls the AFLAC duck during the Mariner games (I'm getting a little off track, sorry).

Anyways, there was one in the mob today that was distinctly darker than the female Mallards, with a yellow bill that had no dark markings like the female Mallards do. It had orange legs, and had a dark eyeline and crown. The speculum was not apparent in the afternoon light. My first thought was American Black Duck, or (more likely) some weird hybrid. The whole group took off and landed in the water, which is largely unseen from the road.

I went home, checked the field guides and grabbed my digital camera. I asked my neighbor if I could go back of his house, where the ducks like to rest, and looked for the duck. No joy. Half of the ducks came back on land, but a lot were still out in the water, and while I could see them now, I could not refind the dark duck.

I did, however, have fun watching the ducks landing on the ice and skidding on their bellies several feet before sliding to a stop.

Is there any realistic chance that this could be an American Black Duck? The only ones I've ever seen were in New York.


Cheers and Happy New Year to you all,

Linda Adams
Puyallup, WA