[Birdtalk] Farmington Bay / Antelope Island 3/15/09

[Tom Fletcher]

Hi Jeff,

What a great mystery bird! I also saw this hybrid with some other 
birders this morning. We thought at first it was an escaped exotic. 
After some internet research, I found this page on hybrids:

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/crows/domducks.htm

Looks like a possible "Brewer's Duck", Mallard x Gadwall hybrid that was 
originally described by Audubon. This would explain the iridescent 
green. But it is probably impossible to know for sure.

Cheers,
Tom


Jeff Bilsky wrote:
> Carl Ingwell and I headed to Farmington Bay this morning to track down 
> the EURASIAN WIGEON along with several other birders who were there. 
> Thanks to Pomera for her great find and telling everyone about it. It 
> was spotted along with a strange hybrid that we suspect was a GADWALL x 
> AMERICAN WIGEON. Digiscoped photos of both are here: 
> http://www.endlesswilderness.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=11
> Comments on the hybrid welcome. I should note that the photos are 
> obviously poor quality so I'm not sure a great diagnosis can be made - 
> it should also be noted that much of what appears "black" on the face 
> was actually iridescent green.
> 
> At Antelope Island on Ladyfinger point, we found the BEWICK'S WREN and 
> several ROCK WRENS as well as 2 TREE SWALLOWS. Lots of DC CORMORANTS and 
> GREAT BLUE HERONS out on the island just West of the point. At the ranch 
> we missed the Varied Thrush but I picked up a HERMIT THRUSH in the 
> Russian Olives South of the ranch.
> 
> Good Birding.
> 
> -- 
> Jeff Bilsky
> Salt Lake City
> jbilsky at gmail.com <mailto:jbilsky at gmail.com>
> www.endlesswilderness.com <http://www.endlesswilderness.com>
> 
> 
> 
> 
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