The Ugly Duckling

... sometimes just grows up into an ugly duck. He was a friendly duck, though, and pathetically pleased to accept the bread crumbs I used to keep him close and (relatively) still. Yes, these are close-ups; my zoom isn't this good. Of course, when you look more closely -- and get over the fact that his complexion is the hue of a habanero -- he's not so very ugly at all. He's not your white, conventionally pretty domestic duck or its more sporty cousin, the mallard, but he has got a certain rugged/ruddy/rugose handsomeness. And, in case you wondered, "ugly duck" isn't his proper designation: he's a Muscovy duck.

This I found funny, and felt lucky that they held the pose long enough for me to take a picture.

In a tree by the pond, a pair of herons are building a nest. I hope the park's visitors don't disturb them; it'd be a shame if they left.

And, last, a sullenly celibate hawk. The redtails are in an enclosure together to encourage them to breed, but the pair were perched in aloof separation. Of course, they could just be self-conscious...