[NatureNS] Interesting Birds Today and other

From: James Hirtle <jrhbirder@hotmail.com>
To: Naturens Naturens <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2011 01:18:40 +0000
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Hi all:
=20
First off the northern pintail from Bayport=2C which was travelling with a =
group of mallards with two Mallard X Black Ducks did not look quite right y=
esterday.  It flew before I could get a better look at it.  Today at First =
South I found the two mallard X black ducks and got a good look at what I c=
halked up as a northern pintail.  The neck and head and the way it swam wer=
e all typical female pintail as well as the bill =2C size and body color.  =
This bird had no tail though and the back end looked like a normal mallard.=
  It crawled up on the ice and I noted orange legs.  I marked the bird down=
 as a pintail and continued on my way and then I starting thinking=2C like =
wait a minute=2C northern pintails do not have orange legs.  I got my bird =
book out and looked and the closest match would be a female blue-winged tea=
l.  Now the size of the bird I saw was that of an American black duck which=
 rules out green-winged teal as the two were side by side on the ice.  I kn=
ow that I've seen mallard X northern pintail males.  From a genetic point o=
f view is it possible for a female northern pintail X mallard.  This is the=
 only thing that makes sense on the basis of no tail and the leg color.  An=
y other suggestions would be great.  I went back to try and get some pictur=
es=2C but the bird was gone. =20
=20
At Corkum's Island by the causeway there were five loons.  One stuck out li=
ke a sore thumb.  It had a slender neck which was half the size of a normal=
 common loon and the bird was lighter and had a much different face=2C thro=
at pattern.  It just stuck out with the other loons nearby as odd.  I manag=
ed to get a very bad picture of it as the bird in question kept diving.  Wh=
en I first saw it in the water with the neck up in silouette=2C I thought t=
hat it was a swan.  I'm assuming that it is some abnormal plumage of a juve=
nile common loon=2C but the bird if it can be relocated needs more observat=
ion.  I called Kevin Lantz to try and get better pictures as my camera is j=
ust a little point and shoot=2C but by that time we could not relocate the =
loon. =20
=20
Kevin Lantz found a thick-billed murre on the Lunenburg waterfront yesterda=
y.  At that time it was way up in the bay near ABCO.  Today it was on the o=
ther side of the bay by the Lunenburg Fish Company.  This bird looked very =
healthy and was diving and seemed to be getting lots to eat.  It stayed dow=
n for long periods and went an amazing distance each time that it was down.=
 =20
=20
My friend David Walmark was very excited yesterday upon discovering that th=
e Farley Mowatt - The Sea Shepherd=2C the Famous Green Peace Boat was tied =
up at the Lunenburg Wharf.  Apparently no one knew this and the boat has be=
en there since the fall.  I'm not sure as to why the local paper did not pr=
int a full story upon it's arrival.  At least I saw nothing.  Hopefully=2C =
they do not want to purposely keep it quiet as to its location and I'm not =
rocking the boat in letting people know about it being there.=20
=20
James R. Hirtle
Bayport
=20
=20
=20
  		 	   		  =

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<FONT size=3D3>Hi all:</FONT><BR>
<FONT size=3D3></FONT>&nbsp=3B<BR>
<FONT size=3D3>First off the northern pintail from Bayport=2C which was tra=
velling with a group of mallards with two Mallard X Black Ducks did not loo=
k quite right yesterday.&nbsp=3B It flew before I could get a better look a=
t it.&nbsp=3B Today at First South I found the two mallard X black ducks an=
d got a good look at what I chalked up as a northern pintail.&nbsp=3B The n=
eck and head and the way it swam were all typical female pintail as well as=
 the bill =2C size and body color.&nbsp=3B This bird had no tail though and=
 the back end looked like a normal mallard.&nbsp=3B It crawled up on the ic=
e and I noted orange legs.&nbsp=3B I marked the bird down as a pintail and =
continued on my way and then I starting thinking=2C like wait a minute=2C n=
orthern pintails do not have orange legs.&nbsp=3B I got my bird book out an=
d looked and the closest match would be a female blue-winged teal.&nbsp=3B =
Now the size of the bird I saw was that of an American black duck which rul=
es out green-winged teal as the two were side by side on the ice.&nbsp=3B I=
 know that I've seen mallard X northern pintail males.&nbsp=3B From a genet=
ic point of view is it possible for a female northern pintail X mallard.&nb=
sp=3B This is the only thing that makes sense on the basis of no tail and t=
he leg color.&nbsp=3B Any other suggestions would be great.&nbsp=3B I went =
back to try and get some pictures=2C but the bird was gone.&nbsp=3B </FONT>=
<BR>
<FONT size=3D3></FONT>&nbsp=3B<BR>
<FONT size=3D3>At Corkum's Island by the causeway there were five loons.&nb=
sp=3B One stuck out like a sore thumb.&nbsp=3B It had a slender neck which =
was half the size of a normal common loon and the bird was lighter and had =
a much different face=2C throat pattern.&nbsp=3B It just stuck out with the=
 other loons nearby as odd.&nbsp=3B I managed to get a very bad picture of =
it as the bird in question kept diving.&nbsp=3B When I first saw it in the =
water with the neck up in silouette=2C I thought that it was a swan.&nbsp=
=3B I'm assuming that it is some abnormal plumage of a juvenile common loon=
=2C but the bird if it can be relocated needs more observation.&nbsp=3B I c=
alled Kevin Lantz to try and get better pictures as my camera is just a lit=
tle point and shoot=2C but by that time we could not relocate the loon.&nbs=
p=3B </FONT><BR>
<FONT size=3D3></FONT>&nbsp=3B<BR>
<FONT size=3D3>Kevin Lantz found a thick-billed murre on the Lunenburg wate=
rfront yesterday.&nbsp=3B At that time it was way up in the bay near ABCO.&=
nbsp=3B Today it was on the other side of the bay by&nbsp=3Bthe Lunenburg F=
ish Company.&nbsp=3B This bird looked very healthy and was diving and seeme=
d to be getting lots to eat.&nbsp=3B It stayed down for long periods and we=
nt an amazing distance each time that it was down.&nbsp=3B </FONT><BR>
<FONT size=3D3></FONT>&nbsp=3B<BR>
<FONT size=3D3>My friend David Walmark was very excited yesterday upon disc=
overing that the Farley Mowatt - The Sea Shepherd=2C the Famous Green Peace=
 Boat was tied up at the Lunenburg Wharf.&nbsp=3B Apparently no one knew th=
is and the boat has been there since the fall.&nbsp=3B I'm not sure as to w=
hy the local paper did not print a full story upon it's arrival.&nbsp=3B At=
 least I saw nothing.&nbsp=3B Hopefully=2