Ah ha. I guess I was thinking he might be a mix because he was the only bird on this pond when I jumped him. Yet 200 yards away were some flooded fields with hundreds of ducks - pintails, mallards, wigeons, and teal. I guess I did the old anthropomorphism deal, and attributed his isolation to alienation

. I just could figure why this bird would choose to be all on his lonesome when I could hear all those other ducks as I close the gap between us. I wish I knew more about their behavior...