A day with Relatives

So This weekend I found myself layering some clothes and riding the back roads of Butler County. I started from my house in Oakland Township and traveled east to Donegal Twp thru Clearfield Twp and on to Summit until returning back home thru the corner of Clearfield and Summit again. These areas are mostly woods, farms and PA gamelands. A short way into the start of my ride I came across Anas Platyrhynchos aka the Mallard Duck. In case you're not up on your wildlife/waterfowl I'll give you a few facts. The Mallard belongs to the same Kingdom, Phylum & Class as the White Stork so in a way its a distant relative of mine. It saddened me to crest the small hill while coming into view of the still carcass of this fine creature. I slowed down to take a better look which brought me to wondering... "just how did this duck come to its death?" No marks, no mess no anything. Just a frozen little being! For a moment I felt like an agent from DUCSI (Ducks Unlimited Crime Scene Investigation) as a meandered around looking for clues of this ducks untimely death, until finally I disturbed the crime scene by removing "Unlucky Ducky" from the road. I did however get a good chalk line and close up photos for the continuing investigation. Since she hadn't been damaged to badly I felt uneasy about leaving her there on the road for future motorist to dodge. I cleaned up the flares I had placed while documenting all clues and continued on my ride.

Here's a few facts:

Mallard Duck ( Anas platyrhynchos )
The mallard is the most common duck in North America. It is easy to tell the males from the female mallards. Most male mallards have grayish or brownish feathers, a green colored head, and a purple breast. On the other hand, the female is only brown and white and is smaller than the male. The length of the normal mallard is about 50-60 cm. ( 20.5 -28 in.). The mallard duck is found mostly in North America and Northern Central America. They nest under boulders, in tree holes, in the crotch of trees, or in open areas.
Mallards are omnivores. They eat various seeds including corn, wheat, barley, bulrushes, wild rice, primrose, willow, seeds of water elm, oak, hackberry, trees of swamps or river bottoms. They will also eat mollusks, insects, small fish, tadpoles, freshwater snails, fish eggs, and frogs. They usually feed at the surface of the water and are known as "dabbling ducks". They don't dive all the way under the water, but just tip their heads under to feed.
The mallard has only three defenses- swimming, flying, and camouflage, and it is prey to large mammals. Mallards have no defense against humans who are their biggest enemy. Many are killed by oil spills and pesticides.

For the remainder of my 40 mile ride I thought about all the animals I encounter during my rides in PA like cows, cats, dogs, squirrels, chipmunks, ducks, geese, owls, hawks, beavers, porcupines and so on. Suddenly I realized that the rides I take deeper into the country prove to be more interesting and educational that the rides I take closer to town. For instance after returning home & thinking about "Unlucky Ducky" I sat down and searched some facts about Ducks and their habits. Will I remember all of this, probably not, but it did enlighten me to my surroundings and to the animals that use the land around me as their homes. Without finding "Unlucky Ducky" I would have never spent the time researching Mallards. You can bet the next time I travel by bike thru "Unlucky Ducky's" old stomping grounds I'll be attentive and looking to catch a glimpse or even a photo of another duck along the waterway there.

Later that night Michelle & I meet up with my real cousin Jeremy & his wife Anastasia for dinner where I told them of my finding "Unlucky Ducky". For some reason I had an appetite for duck but at this small place it was nowhere to be found on the menu, if only I had brought the fowl with me! Would they have cooked it? Oh well the Cod will have to do with a nice slice of Apple pie for dessert.

stork