Cinnamon Teal

Possible Cinnamon Teal observed in the flooded fields on the east side of CR 21 5 miles south of Business 371 south of Brainerd, MN.   (click image for full size)

The only comment I have received about this bird suggests the possibility of a hybrid BW X Cin Teal.  I am adding a picture that hasn't been edited aside from raw conversion and cropping.

The Luckiest Butterfly

I first saw this video last summer after a tweet from the folks at the East Lansing Wild Birds Unlimited (@wildbirdsunlmtd).  How amazing is it that this butterfly not only survives being attacked and dragged to the water by a dragonfly, but also being swallowed by a Snapping Turtle.  The tiny hairs on the butterfly's wings must have trapped enough air to make it buoyant - that is just a guess, but I can't imagine why else it would float to the surface like that.