About the cache: The cache should be an easy find. The below information is not necessary to find the cache. Getting to the cache is wheelchair accessible, however getting the cache itself is not. 2 options for parking have been listed as waypoints. The cache is located along a bike path in a city park. The hours of the bike path and park are 5am-10pm. 

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Why Ducks? Ducks are my favorite subject. I like all kinds of ducks. Having lived in the south-east of the United States most of my life, I had not seen many species. Since moving to South Dakota, I have been spending a lot of time looking for the many species of ducks that visit or reside here. This series of caches will hopefully provide some interesting information on wild ducks.

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Blue-winged Teal Duck

Blue-Winged teal are small ducks - only about 16 inches long and weigh in at under one pound. The male duck has a greyish blue head with a white crescent close to the duckbill. The female is brown and white with a whiter area of feathers close to the duckbill. Both the male and female have sky-blue wing and green wing feathers. 

Blue-winged teal are dabbler ducks. They live in freshwater ponds and marshes. The eat mostly plant material - seeds of various grasses, bond weeds, snails, and insects. They seem to prefer shoreline and calm water more than fast currents and open water. 

In South Dakota, they commonly are seen during the summer breeding season (late April - July). Blue-winged teal are the most abundant duck in the prairies of the Dakotas. Unlike other dabbling ducks, these ducks are among the last to nest. 

I first saw this species of duck in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I have since seen several at Canyon Lake Park in Rapid City, SD.

You may see ducks here. I love duck photos so feel free to post any duck pictures to your log. Of course, this is entirely optional.