Month: December 2021

They’re all back! The iDucks, that is….

Updated February 2022 and March 2024.

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Also, on your Mac, you can see enlargements of any single images
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Gallery images can be enlarged just by clicking on any one of them.

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In an earlier post (November) I wrote that Homher the Intersex Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) had ‘magically’ reappeared after being ‘away’ for the summer from both Belmont Pond and Thomson Marsh. I was overjoyed to see her again.

Well, I’m happy to report that the other two iDucks I first identified in the January 2021 have also showed up again in their separate locations in November 2021. First, Muncie on November 13 at Munson Pond/Park, and then on November 19 near Teal Pond in the SE sector, Thomson Marsh, the one I call Socratease showed up.
As well, another duck I am able to eyedentifye — er, identify — by her blondness and beige ‘beads’ at the back of each eye and below the eye-line, a ‘regular’ female I call Molly also graced us with her presence!
(Added 2024: Homher, Muncie, and Socratease all have ‘beads’ similar to ones Molly sports!)

First, then, Muncie at Munson Park about 3.6 km northeast of TMarsh where her ‘cousins’ reside.

December 2021: Muncie, the Intersex Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) of Munson Park, Kelowna, returns after being ‘away’ all summer! She appears to be in fine fettle as we used to say!
To my surprise Muncie has white ‘beads’ behind both of her eyes,
just like the second and third ducks in this post, especially Molly the blonde hen.
You can enlarge the images by right clicking and choosing to Open image in a new tab.

Then (below) Socratease, as she appears now, on the left, and as she did a year ago, on the top right.

Above: The bottom right image shows her foraging in December 2021.
While her bill is less like a Mallard hen’s than Homher’s and Muncie’s, there’s no doubt that
Socratease is an Intersex Mallard, too. Click on any gallery image to see the photos enlarged.

Finally, Molly Mallard, who despite hanging out in a wintering flock of more than 100 ducks, stands out first as one of the blonde hens, and then because of a unique white ‘bead’ behind each eye. Below the photos of Molly are some further observations about this detail.

Molly Mallard, a blonde hen has a distinctive ‘bead’ at the back of her eye not seen on other blonde hens in the large flock of wintering Mallards, some ‘regulars’ in the area, and some just winter migrants.

Here’s Molly from her other side, with the ‘bead circled’:

A uniquely marked Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) hen that I discovered last spring, which has returned for the winter of 2021-2. Rather independent, she eschews company as she goes about her ‘shopping’…. Her most distinctive mark is a white ‘bead’ just behind her eye (on both sides), circled in this image. I haven’t seen this feature in any of the other ‘blonde’ hens in the winter flock….

Now that snow covers our area, it will be more difficult to keep track of these individuals, but you can be sure I’ll try….

Below, Homher, the iDuck that started all my research: December 2021 after an early snowfall:

Homher doesn’t mind the snow as much as she does the ongoing documentation of her existence….

Here’s another photo of Homher with Molly (taken February 7, 2021):

Molly the eye duck with Homher the iDuck, SE sector, Thomson Marsh, Kelowna, BC. It was a coincidence that she crossed paths with Homher; they don’t necessarily hang out together….

It’s nearly impossible to differentiate “normal Mallards” by appearance.
Molly is an exception! Her creamy complexion and the “bead” at the back of each eye enable me to pick her out of the large flock quite readily….

In progress: Added February 2022. I am working on the blonde Mallard hens in the large flock wintering in
the SE sector, Thomson Marsh, Kelowna, BC. A coming post illustrates what I’ve ‘discovered’.