January 15 , 2014
Yesterday, an afternoon walk along the Jordan River going south from Shield's Lane produced only a very few birds!
However, bathed in the afternoon sun was a duck among Mallards that stood out like something from Outer Space!
It was a bird that I had always wanted to locate and photograph, with no real hope of doing so!
A PINTAIL X MALLARD MALE HYBRID, decked out in extraordinary iridescent feathers, offered itself to my camera!
I emphasize the bird's iridescence, since, with every move the bird transformed itself due to the strong afternoon sun frontlight!
For my non-birder readers, I've post this panel below to illustrate the result of successful mating between a Northern Pintail and a Mallard .
Hybrid Pintal X Mallard... Compare the images below, as the bird moved about, and its color changed dramaticly due to its iridescence!
I don't expect to have an encounter with one of these birds again in my lifetime!
How does this duck compare with a Greenhead Mallard?
See a group of them below:
End of Story...
Richard B. Young
