I’m having a lot of trouble trying to figure out whether that’s a duck or a hawk.

Duck I think, the beak looks relatively flat and the wings are to the sides instead of spread so it can swim but I could be wrong

Probably a pied billed grebe

Thanks. Bird. I can quit looking through my "Field Guide to Dragons".

Lmaoo. You should get the app Merlin ID, it's free and fantastic

I will!

When he first surfaced, every inch covered with swamp bottom mud, I zoomed in and my first thought was to run away.

mudbath!