I want to thank Liisa for mentioning these ducks. I can forward a portion of a newsletter from the Plantations which includes a picture of these quite lovely ducks.
It occurs to me to worry about this little flock who seems to be doing quite well in this balmy weather but may not have quite as easy of a time when the water freezes. I am afraid they may be pinioned and unable to fly as one day while running around Beebe with dogs, these ducks wildly trampled through undergrowth to get to water rather than fly. I am wondering if anyone out there may be interested in capturing them and having them as companions on their own land and pond. Think about it. Linda On Wed, Jul 27, 2011 at 10:53 AM, Liisa Mobley <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi everyone-**** > > Linda Orkin just emailed me to let me know that these are domestic ducks > which someone dumped at Beebe Lake about a month ago. **** > > Mystery solved.**** > > Thanks,**** > > Liisa**** > > ** ** > > Liisa Mobley**** > > Electronic Resources Specialist**** > > Cornell University Library**** > > B60 Mann Library**** > > Ithaca, NY 14853**** > > phone (607) 255-3241**** > > fax (607) 255-3760**** > > ** ** > > *From:* Liisa Mobley > *Sent:* Wednesday, July 27, 2011 10:24 AM > *To:* '[email protected]' > *Subject:* maybe a bunch of black ducks (or hybrid) behind mann library*** > * > > ** ** > > Hi-**** > > I was walking up from Beebe Lake a few minutes ago, and, just as I came up > to edge of the Centennial Garden (which is a little wedge-shaped garden > between Mann and Warren Hall), I saw a group of 7 or 8 ducks foraging in the > soft soil and mulch under some plantings. **** > > **** > > Very dark all over, including their heads. Of course, this is the day I > left my cell phone at home, so I didn’t have a camera. The heads were dark > in color, more like a mallard; they were somewhat iridescent. Bills varied > somewhat in color from a greenish color to a more gray color (the lighting > was a bit dim, so hard to describe exactly). Feet not bright orange – most > looked more gray, some appeared to be gray with a more orangey or red color > showing through (maybe mud? – but didn’t look that way). Purple speculum, I > didn’t see any white. Mallard x black duck hybrids?**** > > ** ** > > Took me by surprise, as I haven’t encountered ducks this far up the hill. > Of course, we’ve had the owls living on the wall, and the red tails flying > across the ag quad, so I guess we are expanding our menagerie.**** > > ** ** > > -Liisa**** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > Liisa Mobley**** > > Electronic Resources Specialist**** > > Cornell University Library**** > > B60 Mann Library**** > > Ithaca, NY 14853**** > > phone (607) 255-3241**** > > fax (607) 255-3760**** > > ** ** > -- > *Cayugabirds-L List Info:* > Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> > Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> > Subscribe, Configuration and > Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> > *Archives:* > The Mail > Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html> > Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> > BirdingOnThe.Net <http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> > *Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/> > !* > -- > -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
