Wildlife on Old Hickory Lake

This hybrid male duck is just amazing. His colors are very vivid with a combination of white, tan, brown, dark green and black.

I am sure he is part mallard but not sure what else. We have many hybrid ducks on the water.

This female mallard had 9 babies this year. I was able to watch them grow all summer. They love posing for the camera, especially since I had food to throw at them.

We are also very luck to have lots and lots of turtles. This painted turtle baby was one of a dozen I saw this spring. They really enjoy sunning on logs and grasses in the water.

I remember as a child we used to get baby turtles from the pet store and raise them on a little glass bowl, feeding them "turtle" food.

Now as an adult, I realize how important it is for them to live in the wild, in nature and not in a glass bowl in my living room.