The whole Lakeland area was rich with bird life. There were dozens of ducks in addition to lots of other birds swimming in Lake Morton. A lot of mallards … We watched mallard families out for a stroll, mallards and white ducks (escaped pets?) hanging out together happily, that cotton-topped white duck I showed in an earlier post also happily swimming with mallards, and best of all a few ring-neck ducks.
The ring-neck was a first timer. My Audubon guide says this "might better be called 'ring-billed duck' for it's chestnut neck-ring is seen only at close range while the white ring on the bill is a permanent field mark." We could see the neck-ring too, so I feel pretty confident about the ID.
When it came to ducks, I used to be satisfied to know just that much about them … that they were a duck. It is only in the last couple of years that I have made an effort to identify the different species. I think the ring-neck is quite handsome.
LINKED TO: WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY. Thank you Stewart.
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