As I type this, a good two hours after taking these photos, Chick Hearn (say it fast enough and it sounds kinda like "chicken"?), or Chuck, or whatever we shall name him/her, is still standing at the top of the hill at the back of our yard, apparently unable to fly, and Mystery is whining and straining at her leash on the patio, trying to get at it. Watching her try to catch the bird in the pool without getting in herself was hilarious. I think this is a sort of hybrid between a chicken and a duck, because of the chicken-like legs and talons and pebbly face-skin-thing, and the mixed-up coloring. Its feathers are black and white, but the "black" feathers have that green-ish opalescent color reminiscent of that on a Mallard. There is an aviary/duck pond of sorts over by church that has ducks, geese, and chickens, so I figure either a duck egg was fertilized by a rooster or vice versa. I wonder if this situation will go the way of the Mystery Incident, and whether we will consequently wind up with a new pet. In which case, I think we'll call "him" Chuck or Dickens (Chuck Dickens?) or something.
Life is strange sometimes.
