It was so grey and dark out at 3PM that the street lights were kicking on. I hate November. I did manage to get some pics of some odd animals, and some odd pics of some common animals.

1st- What the heck is this guy? Some kind of Swan....but what? I dubbed him the "Coast Guard" Swan due to the white stripe on the beak....

***EDIT- Apparently this is an Australian Black Swan***

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q280/WTP07/CGSwanFull.jpg

Head Shot
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q280/WTP07/CGSwan.jpg

Another hybrid mallard
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q280/WTP07/Hybrid-1.jpg

A first for me - picture wise anyway - a Muskrat got up close and personal with me
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q280/WTP07/Muskrat.jpg

A mallard hen in hiding....sort of...
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q280/WTP07/HidingHen.jpg

And last, but not least - 'THE SATANIC SQUIRREL" I shot this guy from the truck window as I was leaving....
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q280/WTP07/SatanicSquirrel.jpg

Like I said, most of these are grey, slow, fuzzy, grainy...it was pretty dark. It's nice and sunny now though, so I am on my way to try to add to my duck list...

Cheers,

Randy.

Yeah my feelings are mutal. I do like your pictures, the water seems so calm. Now, that little squirrel looks possessed LOL.

Love the squirrel, he certainly does look possessed.

Cassie.

Very nice series of pictures, the colors really stand out.

That black swan is really unique. Considering the light (or lack of), you turned out some nice photos. I love the curl in the tail of the mallard. Our locals mallards don't have that curl. When an area hunter shoots a mallard with a curl, they know they bagged a northern mallard, in other words, one of yours.

Some of your best shots can be had on foggy or overcast days, especially early in the morning. That squirrel looks like it's getting ready to punch you out :D

JS

the second last millard hen is a bit out of focus

and not DOF leaves alot of the background in a fuzzy haze, not quite out of focus and its difficult to look at

Yep, a bit out of focus is about right...400 mm, handheld at 1/160, I am surprised you can tell it's a duck. I just thought it was a neat shot in amongst the bulrushes there.

I like the mallard shot, it has a soft feel to it that is appealing somehow.