Candy Root or Bachelor button
I spotted this flower while at work as well on 10/17 around 12pm. It was 101 degrees outside and and it was super humid with no chance of rain that day. This flower was surrounded by a lot of weeds and grass
Black wings with brown on chest. Yellow beak with white tail feathers. Was drying wings. Around 1 to 1/2 feet tall and wingspan around 2 to 2 1/2 feet long.
Justification: Curved tip of beak, gular pouch. Had I seen totipalmate webbing, this would have been further indication.
Conditions:Very sunny, warm, breezy.
Location: Big open body of water.
Activity: Swimming while periodically diving completely underwater.
Class: Aves
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Phalacrocoracidae
dark brown to black feathers, long hooked bill with an orange throat pouch and webbed feet
Found in Paynes Prairie Perching on a wooden stick in the middle of the water on a cold day.