Standin' in the sunlight laughin'
Hidin' behind a rainbow's wall
Slippin' and a-slidin'
All along the waterfall
With you, my blue billed duck
You my blue billed duck
The Backyard Science group regularly publishes The Daily Bucket, which features observations of the world around us. What's in your backyard? Funny insects, unusual birds, pretty flowers, healthy vegetables, or shy snakes?
Any of these and much more are worthy additions to the Bucket and its comments. Please let us know what is going on around you in a comment, and provide a picture if you can. Include, as close as is comfortable for you, where you are located. Each note is a record that we can refer to as we try to understand the patterns that are unwinding around us.
I've admired Harlequin ducks, with their elaborately patterned feather-dos. My heart's beat faster at the breathtaking beauty of the vividly colored wood duck.
But I never thought I was hallucinating until the other day, when the critter pictured above calmly paddled to within eyesight at the golf course pond. I thought it was a Bufflehead and my eyes refused to register that its beak was bright blue.
I was practically sobbing with relief to get home and find that I actually had decent pictures of it, and I hadn't lost what little I have left of my mind.
I browsed the pictures at the Ducks Unlimited site, and I will bravely venture that this is a male ruddy duck.
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology admits the breeding males are almost "cartoonishly bold," with their sky-blue beaks.
Northwest Oregon, where I am, is within their winter non-breeding range. Their summer breeding range is in the upper Midwest and central Canada.
Wiki states the ruddy duck dives and swims underwater.
I believe there is at least one pair on the golf course pond. Although their conservation status is rated "least concern," I've never seen one before, unless I mistook it for a Buffie, with whom the Ruddy hangs out. I sure never saw that blue beak before!
Thank you for reading. I am sorry I can't respond to comments until this afternoon. The Kochs are trying to force us out on strike at one of their Pacific Northwest facilities and we must prepare like never before.
Now It's Your Turn What's interesting to you? Please post your own observations and your general location in the comments.
"Spotlight on Green News & Views" will be posted every Saturday at 1pm and Wednesday at 3:30 pm Pacific Time on the Daily Kos front page. Be sure to recommend and comment in the diary.