Daily Zoo Animal: #20, Wood Duck

[urbpan]

Wood duck Aix sponsa

I was walking through the wetland exhibit at the Children's Zoo today, and noticed that almost all of the ducks were away from the public viewing area, over by a feeding station. But this one wood duck was closer, and it did something I've never seen a wood duck do before. It swam closer to me. Wood ducks are generally pretty shy of humans, and in the wild you usually see them at a distance, or as they are swimming away. Even when you are feeding the ducks in a city park, the mallards swarm close, and the wood ducks (and buffleheads, and ruddy ducks etc.) stay far away. I pondered this for a minute, and then noticed the vending machine. A quarter buys a few food pellets to feed the duck, and this male wood duck was conditioned to notice when someone approached the machine--he also noticeably reacted when he heard the sound of the vending machine crank.

The wood duck was urban species #015.

On this day in 365 Urban Species: Mexican Free-tailed Bat. If you haven't seen this entry, you have to check it out, if only for the video. For this reason alone, Austin is a great city.

Comments

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

ooh he's a pretty boy.

speaking of, i'll have more grey tree frog pix up in a bit

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[barroomeyes.livejournal.com]

damn, what a great photo!! did you crop it, or was it framed like that originally?

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I took several photos, because he was always close, but always moving. I picked a different one at first, but I liked this one better.

[barbmg.livejournal.com]

Okay, that's the freakiest duck eye-contact I've ever seen.

It is a gorgeous picture.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Did you decide whether or not to come up for your reunion?

[barbmg.livejournal.com]

I haven't bought plane tickets yet, and if I want to get a reasonable fare I should get on that. I don't want to go by myself and have a terrible time, so I really need to contact someone in my class and see if they want to go, but I'm not sure who that would be.

Oh, and tickets are sixty five frickin' dollars for dinner, dessert and only *one* hour of open bar. Also: Doorprizes! I shudder to think.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Whoa! Mine were only 35 each, but it's a cash bar. I'm lucky; not only is Alexis insane enough to come with me, but Greg is going to be there. Too many of my friends were from different classes or (as in your case) different schools for there to guarantee a group of compatriots attending.

I don't know any of your classmates off the top of my head except for the couple I met--whatsername who lost her retainer on our way to or from the 10,000 maniacs concert, and your boy there with the black tractor paint on his nails.

[barbmg.livejournal.com]

I just booked my plane tickets. I called up the parents of a girl I knew since kindergarten but had lost track of after her wedding 17 years ago and talked her into going with me. (I can't recall you ever meeting her. Her name was Erica and she lived up the street from me.)

Any chance of you driving down to the Pioneer Valley for a day? We could meet in Northampton as well since I'm sure I'll be visiting Kelly and Gavin at some point if they're in town. I'll be up there from Oct 23rd through 28th.

[aemiis-zoo.livejournal.com]

I love wood ducks! I miss "Woody"...

Off topic, sorry. New policy threatens 'Stupid Day '

[ndozo.livejournal.com]

from: http://tinyurl.com/2lu6cn

"Musicians play them. Ski fans bang them. Farmers tie them to heifers. Now, state officials may use cowbells to help solve a curiously persistent transportation problem: trucks that crash into the low Storrow Drive and Memorial Drive bridges despite the abundant signs warning them away.

Frustrated that truckers are blowing right by the signs, the Department of Conservation and Recreation says it may revive a homegrown network of cowbells to give the drivers a musical wake-up call..."

Re: Off topic, sorry. New policy threatens 'Stupid Day '

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Instead there should be confetti and balloons released when the top of the truck hits the "clearance 9 feet" sign! Happy Stupid Day, King or Queen of Stupid!

[lakme.livejournal.com]

Actually, it looks like that wood duck is giving you a bit of the stink-eye. "BRING ON THE PELLETS", he says.

I love Wood Ducks!

[nebirdhouse.livejournal.com]

Along with the hooded merganser and male mallard, wood ducks are the best looking ducks. They are amazingly beautiful. Great close up photo.