A cardinal and a gallinule

Lately this blog has been all about ducks, duck babies, duck love lives, just all ducks all the time.  And it probably will be again tomorrow and beyond as there are more of them in the backyard than anything else and their antics and personalities catch your eye.  And they have cute babies.  But today I thought I would talk about a few different visitors.  Of course, I'll get to the ducks later in the post so not to worry, duck fanciers.

First there are a few cardinals who still come to the feeders, though most have moved on.  I'm sad that I don't see as many as before when there was a steady stream of females, young kids and males.  A particularly pretty male cardinal that was amazingly bright stopped by and ate some seeds in a few spots on the ground after sampling the feeder.

They don't get much brighter than this!

The millet plants growing near the canal bank are in various stages of ripening.  Another cardinal, a female this time, landed on one of the seed heads.  So maybe she got some fresh seeds right off the plant.

Ripe for the picking

I've been seeing a third gallinule that doesn't stay with the adult and younger one that hang out by the dock.  This one seems to hide in the undergrowth by my neighbor's backyard and only comes out into the canal by the dock or onto the lawn when it's deserted of others.  It is very frightened of people and will run away or swim away if I even open the patio door.  This one has a lighter colored face and from a distance, which is the only way I have seen it, I thought it might be a coot.  But having gotten a better look, I think it is just a young individual who has not grown his colors yet. Here he is...

Youngster has yet to grow into is red face

Today as I fed the fish from the dock, a large FL red-bellied cooter turtle who was at least a foot long kept swimming around then stopping to stick out his head and look at me.  It was like he was asking me for some bread like I had tossed to the fish, but by the time I saw him I was all out.  Sorry buddy!

Better luck next time

To complete the non-duck portion of this post, the ragged four-spot pennant dragonfly that I saw a few days ago was around again.  Or maybe it's another ragged one.  From his messy wings I thought he was near the end of his life but he's still here.  Adult dragonflies rarely live more than a few months, and some for less time.

Still with us

Now back to ducks.  Thanks for waiting!

The mottled duck population continues to be over 15 at most meal times which is a real nuisance.  They must have returned from wherever they went for the summer and I expect more and more of them.  The mom mottled is always around with her male friend.

As for the Muscovies, the new family showed up again this morning, swimming in a little after the others.  The little black female tried out the bird bath.  She's a sweet little girl.  The male, Red Eye, was here as well watching over his harem.  I don't find the caruncles around his eyes to be particularly nice looking but apparently the girls do.

New little girl likes this spot

Red Eye posing for his portrait

Muscovy females Pretty Girl and Chirpie were not around today, and Chirpie has been missing for a while now.  But Pretty Girl's son Big Boy was staying close to his little girlfriend, Cutie Tips, and they stayed on the bird bath together for quite a while until he flew off.  There's only so much togetherness any of these Muscovy males can take.

The little couple spends some quality time

Finally Muscovy mom and her four babies came by this morning and ate in the mix of big ducks before retreating to their little pool where eating is safer and more pleasant.  They returned in the afternoon and spent time resting under the ficus.  They had a big meal again in the evening as can be seen by this youngster who later fell asleep standing up and sporting a really full gullet.  They are starting to look a real mess with baby fluff being slowly replaced with feathers.  I think I will start referring to them as juveniles.

Juveniles eat and eat just like teenagers everywhere