Ellen,
I'm glad you enjoyed the photographs. The Barred Owl was an interesting
story. I was on my way to the boardwalk, about 8:30 one morning, when a
Great Horned Owl landed atop a broken tree near the pathway. As I was
frantically trying to get my camera ready, it hopped up into a nearby
tree, then back to another. While I was trying to track it, the Barred
Owl flew in and landed directly overhead. I never did get a picture of
the first bird.
I, too, was struck by the sizes of the "hybrids," especially as they were
interacting with the Canadas (squabbling), but as you can see from this
section of the picture I posted, which I lightened considerably, there is
a definite Mallard coloration to the head. Also, there is a patch of blue
at the top of the wing. This seems to be a weird place for the blue, but
it is similar to the blue found on on Mallards' wings.
http://www.speakeasy.org/~bb-etc/birds/virginia/mutants1.jpg
Mallards and geese interfertile?????
Lake Winnipesaukee: we grew up in New Hampshire and my sister still lives
near the lake. For those unfamiliar with the lake, it is big. There is no
comparison with the Great Lakes, but the drive around Lake Winnipesaukee
is about 180 miles.
Cliff Otto
Alexandria
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