MALLARDS On The Buffalo River

Ducks are everywhere this time of year, especially Mallards!  The Mallard is the ancestor of almost all of varieties of domestic ducks and it's fitting that they are the dominant duck along the Buffalo River.

Rieck's Lake is a popular gathering spot, but Mallards can be found throughout the Buffalo River area.

Mallards are distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere. 
They are migratory in our area and winter south to Mexico.

The Mallard is omnivorous and very flexible in its food choice.  The majority of the Mallard's diet seems to be made up roots, tubers, seeds, crustaceans, worms and invertebrates.  Plants generally make up a larger part of the bird's diet, especially during fall migration and in the winter.  It usually feeds by dabbling for plant food or grazing.

Mallards are highly gregarious outside of the breeding season

and will form large flocks, which are known as a sord.

Fall Color In The Backwaters

Along the Wisconsin Great River Road tourists come to view the fall color as the leaves turn. If you take the time you will find that there is great beauty and color to be found in the Mississippi River backwaters as well.

Buffalo River

Buffalo River

Unless you study plants, it's often difficult to identify the flowers and grasses 

that remain in the fall ... but it's not difficult to enjoy the beauty. 

While most of this photography is from the Upper Mississippi Wildlife & Fish Refuge,

there are many opportunities in our area to discover fall beauty.

Trempeleau Wildlife Refuge ... Grasses

Trempeleau Wildlife Refuge