Aquatic Birds

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Hey! Over Here! Look At Me!!!

The day before hurricane Laura made landfall, a rare & unique duck arrived at White Rock lake. I heard about it and found it the next morning as the hurricane moved across Texas & Louisiana to the east of us. Ruddy Shelducks breed in southeastern Europe and Central Asia and winter in South Asia. They do not normally come anywhere near North America. Best guess is this one has escaped from someplace that keeps exotic birds, possibly related to the evacuation prior to the hurricane. A large duck, more the size of a goose, and apparently loaded with personality. Mugging for the camera with two of our regulars totally bored by photographers. New species for me.
Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea)
Older Male Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)

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