[NatureNS] Unknown duck

From: James Hirtle <jrhbirder@hotmail.com>
To: Naturens Naturens <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2012 03:42:29 +0000
Importance: Normal
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <naturens-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/Environment/FNSN/MList; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects


--_b6f6d0b2-b817-448d-aa50-edf11d290ea5_
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable


Hi all:
=20
A number of weeks back I had a mystery duck at Broad Cove.  It was a rainy =
day and my initial impression was of a blue-winged teal.  Upon closer inspe=
ction through the scope I decided that my id was wrong.  The duck bothered =
me as it was smaller than an American black duck nearby=2C but not by a who=
le lot.  So I ruled out teal.  I'm now thinking maybe a female northern pin=
tail.  It was a light brown/tawny color with a black bill.  The body shape =
definitely was distinctive of a pintail.  The part that bothers me about th=
e id is that the wings folded over the back were jet black.  Not the whole =
wing=2C but about three or four inches of the wing ends.  I've ruled out ga=
dwall as the tail would have been black.    If this is a feature on a femal=
e pintail=2C I've never noticed it before=2C the books do not really show t=
hat as an id.  Maybe it was a juvenile bird.  Paul MacDonald=2C I know has =
had a lot of experience with ducks and if you read this Paul I would really=
 appreciate your opinion.  Of course anyone else with knowledge along those=
 lines=2C I also would appreciate your thoughts and thank you in advance.  =
I tried to get photos=2C but admittedly failed. =20
=20
The other bird that I saw that I will mention was what I would discribe as =
a crow with a short tail=2C that was the size of a blue jay.  This bird I o=
bserved on Saturday.  I was rushing home for a dinner engagement and did no=
t wish to be late for it.  As I came to a stop in Bridgewater at the light =
by the Bridgewater Tim Hortons=2C at the East Side Plaza=2C this bird came =
gliding across in front of me.  At first I thought it was just an American =
crow=2C but I took a second take and realized that it was only blue jay siz=
e.  The distance was maybe ten feet in front of me when the bird went by.  =
It landed upon the roof of the Tim Hortons on the edge.  It appeared as ver=
y small and blue jay size at that angle as well.  When it hopped down off t=
he edge onto the roof itself=2C it was so tiny that I could no longer see i=
t.  I'm sorry that I did not have time to pull in and view it better.  I've=
 since tried to relocate this bird=2C but have not been successful.  Unless=
 I can relocate it and get photos or someone else happens to see it we will=
 leave it as an unknown.  =20
=20
James R. Hirtle
Bridgewater
 		 	   		  =

--_b6f6d0b2-b817-448d-aa50-edf11d290ea5_
Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<html>
<head>
<style><!--
.hmmessage P
{
margin:0px=3B
padding:0px
}
body.hmmessage
{
font-size: 10pt=3B
font-family:Tahoma
}
--></style></head>
<body class=3D'hmmessage'><div dir=3D'ltr'>
<FONT size=3D3>Hi all:</FONT><BR>
<FONT size=3D3></FONT>&nbsp=3B<BR>
<FONT size=3D3>A number of weeks back I had a mystery duck at Broad Cove.&n=
bsp=3B It was a rainy day and my initial impression was of a blue-winged te=
al.&nbsp=3B Upon closer inspection through the scope I decided that my id w=
as wrong.&nbsp=3B The duck bothered me as it was smaller than an American b=
lack duck nearby=2C but not by a whole lot.&nbsp=3B So I ruled out teal.&nb=
sp=3B I'm now thinking maybe a female northern pintail.&nbsp=3B It was a li=
ght brown/tawny color with a black bill.&nbsp=3B The body shape definitely =
was distinctive of a pintail.&nbsp=3B The part that bothers me about the id=
&nbsp=3Bis that the wings folded over the back were jet black.&nbsp=3B Not =
the whole wing=2C but about three or four inches of the wing ends.&nbsp=3B =
I've ruled out gadwall as the tail would have been black.&nbsp=3B&nbsp=3B&n=
bsp=3B If this is a feature on a female pintail=2C I've never noticed it be=
fore=2C the books do not really show that as an id.&nbsp=3B Maybe it was a =
juvenile bird.&nbsp=3B Paul MacDonald=2C I know has had a lot of experience=
 with ducks and if you read this Paul I would really appreciate your opinio=
n.&nbsp=3B Of course anyone else with knowledge along those lines=2C I also=
 would appreciate your thoughts and thank you in advance.&nbsp=3B I tried t=
o get photos=2C but admittedly failed.&nbsp=3B </FONT><BR>
&nbsp=3B<BR>
<FONT size=3D3>The other bird that I saw that I will mention was what I wou=
ld discribe as a crow with a short tail=2C that was the size of a blue jay.=
&nbsp=3B&nbsp=3BThis bird I observed on Saturday.&nbsp=3B I was rushing hom=
e for a dinner engagement and did not wish to be late for it.&nbsp=3B As I&=
nbsp=3Bcame to a stop in Bridgewater at the light by the Bridgewater Tim Ho=
rtons=2C at the East Side Plaza=2C this bird came gliding across in front o=
f me.&nbsp=3B At first I thought it was just an American crow=2C but I took=
 a second take and realized that it was only blue jay size.&nbsp=3B The&nbs=
p=3Bdistance was maybe ten feet in front of me when the bird went by.&nbsp=
=3B It landed upon the roof of the Tim&nbsp=3BHortons on the edge.&nbsp=3B&=
nbsp=3BIt appeared as very small and blue jay size at that angle as well.&n=
bsp=3B When it hopped down&nbsp=3Boff the edge onto&nbsp=3Bthe roof itself=
=2C it was so&nbsp=3Btiny that I could no longer see it.&nbsp=3B I'm sorry =
that I did not have time to pull in and view it better.&nbsp=3B I've since =
tried to relocate this bird=2C but have not been successful.&nbsp=3B&nbsp=
=3BUnless I can relocate it and get photos or someone else happens to see i=
t we will leave it as an unknown.&nbsp=3B </FONT>&nbsp=3B<BR>
&nbsp=3B<BR>
<FONT style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt" size=3D3>James R. Hirtle</FONT><BR>
<FONT style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt" size=3D3>Bridgewater<BR><BR></FONT> 		 	   =
		  </div></body>
</html>=

--_b6f6d0b2-b817-448d-aa50-edf11d290ea5_--

next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects