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Little open water left at Jamaica Pond

Black duck on Jamaica Pond

Almost all of Jamaica Pond was covered with ice and snow today. Only a small area near where a tunnel empties into the northern end of the pond remained open.

And only two birds remained on the pond, in that small bit of open water - the black duck that normally cavorts with the mallards and a solitary coot. Both just sat on rocks in the water, the duck occasionally quacking in search of his friends - several of which were sitting in snow on the other side of pond.

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Comments

That's my friend, and favorite pond resident, Stealth Duck! I've watched her grow up from a stealthy teenage duck into a stealthy adult duck, and I'm glad she's still going strong.

Based on what markings I could make out, I think Stealth Duck is a female. I saw her hanging around with a single other male Mallard for much of the spring and summer, but I never saw the two of them with any ducklings. As such, I'm not 100% sure on this.

For anyone out there who knows more about waterfowl than I, can you tell me if you've seen a Mallard like this before and what their "deal" is. She's a really deep brown/black throughout her entire body, including much of her her beak. Additionally, her legs and feet are a similarly dark brown, unlike your usual orange Mallard bits. Her feathers have all of the patterning of a hen Mallard, but they're all in shades of brown and black. It's damn neat.

Stealth Duck rules and I hope she continues to grace the pond for quite some time.

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It’s likely a Cayuga duck and Mallard hybrid. Cayuga were a domestic breed that used to be raised to eat.

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All of the ducks were in Leverett Pond today. I saw dozens of ducks, the traditional swarm of Canada geese, a blue heron, and two swans!

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That’s quacktastic. Magoo

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The ice, the water, the reflections, the lovely bird. Great composition, great shot!

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