I spy a long-legged duck

While my bird identifying husband was at work, I saw a remarkable bird paddling in our swimming pool. At first I wondered how a duck got there, but upon closer look I realized it was a multi-colored iridescent bird I had never seen before. When the outdoor cat got menacingly close, the bird flew into our living room window and landed with a bump on the windowsill. The cat circled around the pool and crept onto the patio trying once again to capture this flying oddity. The bird recovered from its daze and flew into a tree in our yard. Between the foliage of the tree and the bird's movement I only got a poor image of its beauty.



When Ben returned home, he helped me ID it.

Thanks to the internet, here is a better picture. Today I learned what a Purple Gallinule is.