Every year a male and female Mallard pair show up to swim and feed in my very small wastewater lagoon (one photo shows how small it really is). The water goes from the house into a septic system and then flows into this small open-air lagoon.
For many years these two Mallards have shown up every Spring. They swim around and obvious feed. They don’t stay overnight, but fly off to someplace to spend the night and arrive again early the next morning…..They do not make a nest or raise young there. It is certainly curious why they have chosen this place to come to every year…..They are not habituated at all and fly off if I walk around on that side of the house.. Occasionally, last year, the male would come and feed on the birdseed under Grandmother Tree, but it would waddle off or fly away if I appeared too close at a window.
There are two subspecies of Yellow-rumps – which are often referred to as “butter butts’. The Mrytle has a white throat…much less common in my area, but definitely not a rarity.
The Audubon’s has a yellow throat…these are the most common in my area. Today, we saw over 60.
Adventures, Animals and Images 