[cobirds] Fort Collins (LARIMER) - Prairie Falcon and odd duck

I was walking my dog at Udall Natural Area this morning and observed a beautiful adult prairie falcon watching over the two little ponds that were full of geese (CANG and CAGO) and mixed ducks (mostly MALL, GWTE and GADW). Udall is just a quarter mile or so from Old Town Square.

Among the many ducks and geese there was one duck that I couldn't positively identify but suspect was a mallard with odd plumage, mallard hybrid, or had some domesticated duck mixed with mallard in its lineage. If anyone cares to speculate, these are the details I was able to note while the dog pulled at her leash: 1) Appeared to be just slightly larger than adjacent adult male mallards. 2) Overall mallard shape in all features. 3) Yellow bill. 4) BLACKISH head (this was not a trick of the light - other mallards shone bright green), grayish back, brownish sides turning a rustier brown under tail.

Happy birding!

John Shenot

Fort Collins, CO

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