I never knew domestic ducks existed that looked like that. Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I really dislike that crested spot on their heads, it looks like a lopsided tumor. It's slightly better looking (more like less freaky) on the white one, but I much prefer their natural untampered look.

Have you ever checked out Pigeons and chickens? Got some freaky people making freaky birds.

I've seen a lot of weird fancy chickens from looking around State Fairs. I didn't know they did it to pigeons too, I'll have to look on the internet to see what they did to them.

Lol, sort of. Some of these variations seem cruel.
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I too remember the hilarious chickens that ran around my mountain cabin property when I was in my 20s. Truly "free range," they belonged to my landlord, but I was welcome to gather any eggs I found in random nests around my house. Along with wild crests (think Tina Turner) they had fluffy leg warmers. Fun memory.

A few of those pigeons are nice, but many of them are just ridiculous looking. I would think the feathers around their feet would be a problem getting caught in things when trying to land. They remind me more of penguins than pigeons.

Skimmers are cool little birds that have a specially designed beak to be able to attract, detect and capture fish as they drag their bottom beak along the surface of the water. On land, they are dumpy and look totally out of place, but once they are on the water, their grace is hard to beat. Long wings, gliding one to two inches above the surface, they are truly a sight to behold.

Amazing to watch.

Agree, amazing photos as well.

Slicing the water with no splash. Cool! I'm not sure I've ever seen one . Sharp photos

I think the crested Mallards are kinda cool.
The Skimmers are fun to watch. Silent, and so graceful. They are not always around, so when they show up, it's always a treat to see them. Definitely one of my favorite shorebirds.

Chipping sparrows eating the parakeet seed.

Almostdone said: Roseate Spoonbill looking at it's reflection. I like how the low light gives this a calm and quiet feel.

We had Roseate Spoonbills in the Galveston/Texas City area when I lived there. Miss seeing those beautiful birds up here in Central TX.

It's been nothing but rain here for the last couple of says. We went to a small Sanctuary in Rockledge, Cruickshank Wildlife Sanctuary. He was the official photographer for Audubon back in the day, and due to his love of wildlife and veracity to insure they would always have a place to call home, he was able to secure numerous wildlife sanctuaries and refuges in Florida. I thank him in my heart every time we go out...
We were able to see a lot for the small area it encompasses. A Merlin, which is a raptor, a little bigger than a Kestrel, and Scrub Jays. The Scrub Jay is the only bird endemic to Florida, and they are being pushed out due to all of their habitats being built upon. They live in colonies and have huge personalities. They don't mind people, and often shadow us as we walk the scrub ridge trails. Johnny had one land on his head yesterday, which absolutely made his day. He told me all the way home he is now the Bird Whisperer.

Ha, cute, what a treat!
Pretty bird!

Nice, Suz. Your scrub jays are a little different than the ones I used to encounter in California, but they too had outsized, even brazen, personalities. How fun to be a bird perch!

I agree, that is a treat! I've had birds come to yank out hair for nests before. When I took my daughter with her friend and her mom to one of our zoos, one of the kids was being dive bombed by a bird. And then I realized what it wanted and told her to stand up on one of the benches and just let it pull a few hairs. The kids loved that and were giggling like mad. They took my hair too, but not the friend's mother, I'm guessing because hers was dyed is all I think of. It's definitely a treat!

Nancy, I have had that happen with Mockingbirds; scary! Lol at the kids giggling, but good thinking! Isn't that something, that they didn't want the dyed hair? Just goes to show how smart they are! Zoe, they are one of our favorites, for sure. It sure seems they all have a big personality! Sally, they are something special..

This afternoon, I was again sitting out in my yard enjoying the sun (with my coat on) and a chickadee came to the hedge no more than ten feet away and chatted up a storm. I can't see anything it was interested in except ME, maybe saying' time to fill the feeders!' It's had plenty of chances to watch me walk around late afternoon putting small amounts in several places (trying to keep birds fed and squirrels not as much).

Mockingbirds are the only ones who want to talk to me, so far. They love to perch on a bar that I have for hanging plants.

I'm pretty sure it was red-winged blackbirds that day at the zoo. And the friend's mom was incredibly disappointed that the birds wouldn't take any of her hair. We were all animal lovers, so it was a lot of fun and actually be part of fearless bird behavior!