Could it have been a Muscovy or Muscovy/Mallard cross?
Mallards and Muscovy often interbreed. We have some Muscovy/Mallard crosses on our pond that are striking.
Have we had a “Today In Nature I Smelled”? (That’s the transitive use of “smelled” - but this relates to being out on the bike, so the intransitive use probably also applies.)
The weather has finally warmed up a little and it has been wet this last week, so the wild garlic is now out in force here in South East England. The countryside smells flat out wonderful - every time you pass a stream, or some damp woodland, the delicious aroma of garlic fills the air. Smell-wise, as far as nature goes, it’s my favourite time of the year.
j
More hawk sightings today!
At the Navajo Bridge over Marble Canyon today, four California Condors. I knew there were condors in the area of the Grand Canyon, but seeing them soaring above, hanging out underneath the bridge on the superstructure below the rim and and literally buzzing people on the bridge was pretty spectacular.
On the same topic - if the wind is right (or wrong) - the odor of freshly-sprayed liquid pig manure drifts over the city. The nearest farms are a good 15-20 miles away, so normally you don’t smell it. But when you do - it’s a sure sign of spring - and it disappears in an hour or so.
I thought of that too. I guess I’ll never know for sure.
I love going outside this time of year and just taking a big gulp of the air. It smells so wonderful. The best smell of all is the Balm of Gilead from the balsam poplar trees. There is no fragrance like it. And also, the wild trees that have blossoms have just opened - plum, pin cherry, chokecherry - they are adding to the delightfulness.
My shoe-wrens have hatched! Happy birdie birthday, little guys! 
Congratulations!!! 
I saw an indigo bunting on my ride this morning. I’d never seen one before. That was pretty cool.
^Cool bird, I’d love to see one.
Our bear is still around, but I’ve yet to see it. One of our neighbors saw it though, and said it seemed “small”. Last weekend my gf brought the bird-feeders in at dusk but left one on the porch accidentally. A bear ripped it to shreds, on…our…porch. Damn.
Meanwhile I’m relocating our raccoons.
Trapped!
Run, Forrest!
Beautiful bunting, rad raccoons!
We saw several mule deer bucks with velvet antlers, as we took an early morning drive before work. On our way back on the same route, a doe leaped out into the road just in front of us and we almost hit her. Luckily she didn’t stop in the road but kept bounding along. Phew.
We also saw turkeys, but we always see turkeys around here. It’s getting so I don’t even regard them as wildlife anymore.
Yeah, our turkey flock comes to eat corn in our yard, but if the deer have finished the corn the turkeys come up to eat bird feeder spillage. Nearly tame they are.
It’s not what I saw, but what I didn’t. The mofo javelinas that destroyed my little decorative garden, taking huge bites out my dragonfruit that had just rooted, uprooting succulents, tearing everything up, and sadly, eating a little opuntia that I was babying since I picked it up off the HD bargain rack which had gotten 2 healthy feet tall. They ate that to the ground, thorns and all. Stripped my elephant food branches. Tonite, when I go out for a smoke, the air is delightful with the smell of coyote urine pellets.
Went for a kayak on the Mystic today. Turtles. Lots of turtles.
I’ve seen more baby toads this year than any year I can remember. I think that has to be good news. And the fireflies have just started their nightly light show.
StG
I’m very blue today. My baby wrens did not survive.
We had been leaving the garage open so mom could come and go, but the nest wasn’t in a very secure place and something got at it. I kept thinking I should move it, but was concerned about the mom abandoning it or some such horseshit. Anyway. From now on, I will try to keep birds from building nests in there.
Saturday and Sunday: Robins mating.
Nothing I saw but experienced instead. On Saturday it was 85 degrees. I sat on the patio in the sun, read and did some crosswords. I admired my flowers that I planted a week ago. Also had my lunch and dinner outside. Huck, the dog went from sleeping in the sun to sleeping in the shade numerous times. We were outside all day - only went in for snacks. A glorious day!
Yesterday’s high was 43 degrees, windy (wind chill was 29 degrees), and misting. I walked the dog in rain gear with thermal clothing underneath, a hat and mittens. I brought all of my flowers into the garage that night for fear they would be frozen in the morning.
Once again, Mother Nature proving that she’ll do what ever the f#%k she wants.