Animals Show Birds

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A Mute Cygnet beginning to get it's white feathers. This is one of the cygnets that had me confused. It started out white, like all the other cygnets on the lake. Then it and it's sibling went tannish then solid gray with jet black bills. I almost thought they were adopted Trumpeter cygnets. However, the last week or so they are starting to turn white again and there is just a hint of orange beginning to show up in their bills. The rest of the cygnets on the lake, born within a week of this one, never went through the color change, remaining white through the process.
 
I didn't pay too much attention to this mallard tonight as I was out on the boardwalk looking for exotic migrating birds. He just kind of hung around paddling below me. Then, during a moment of boredom I shot a couple of images of him and noticed he had a chip out of his upper bill. One of the other photographers there tonight told me that it will actually grow back! I didn't know that.

Also, I once again learned the lesson that even when you think there's nothing interesting going on around you, stop and look closer, you may be overlooking something.
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