Alan and Bev:
This looks like a typical Green-winged Teal with perhaps a somewhat stronger
face pattern than average, but not nearly as bold as some can show. Eons ago I
found a basic-plumaged male Garganey in California so I study teal whenever
possible.
Garganeys have an even more pronounced face pattern than Green-winged Teal
though it is the heavily marked females that give people trouble. Particularly
those with a strong lower line below the eye. According to Rare Birds of North
America note “pale eyebrow is often contrastingly paler behind the eye and
mirrors breeding males.” In other words, a bolder supercilium.
They also lack the white swoosh at the base of the tail that Green-winged Teal
show —white on the sides of the undertail coverts. Garganeys can be paler back
yonder but different feathers are involved. They can show pale edges of the
outer tail feathers.
Perhaps it is because I have looked at so many teal that I find the head shape
of Green-wings to be different from the other teal. They have steeper foreheads
which given them a rounder or even square-shaped head. The bills look smaller
and more dainty and their bodies more compact on the water.
If you are really struggling then wait to look at the wing pattern. All ages of
Garganey have a broad white trailing edge to the secondaries and as adults, the
white borders to the speculum are really wide and bold.
Female and young Baikal Teal have a much more complex face pattern and, as I
understand it, the white spot at the based of the bill is much more
distinctive, perhaps because the area surrounding it is darker.
Shawneen Finnegan
On Oct 29, 2015, at 8:50 PM, Alan Contreras <acontrer56@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Well, the duck is a pretty extreme plumage for a Green-winged Teal this time
of year. The bill looks completely gray (GWT typically fades a bit at the
base), there is a really obvious pale spot behind the bill and a lot of white
markings on the face. I have seen weird-looking GW Teal in late August and
early September, but in late October they normally look pretty plain. An
interesting bird. Even Baikal is not out of the question, though I think
they are supposed to have whiter throats and a more colorful face.
Nice golden-plover. I’d guess it’s an American.
Alan Contreras
acontrer56@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:acontrer56@xxxxxxxxx>
On Oct 29, 2015, at 8:25 PM, Beverly Hallberg <mapsout@xxxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:mapsout@xxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Hi all,
First of all I heard the distinctive dry "Pit-r-ick" call of a Western
Tanager today in my backyard between Nehalem and Manzanita and then saw him
fly into the State Park forest behind my house. 10 minutes later he called
again from the top of my little pine tree with the feeders and I saw him fly
off again to the forest. Wish he'd stuck around for a picture... Kind of
late eh???
Then at the Nehalem Sewage Ponds late this afternoon I found a presumed
female Teal that had a very marked face with a noticeable supercilium and
dark cheek patch with a faint line. I took pictures just to throw it out
there in case this might be a female Garganey. Ha!
Pics:
https://flic.kr/p/ztqv8t <https://flic.kr/p/ztqv8t>
https://flic.kr/p/ztqvKv <https://flic.kr/p/ztqvKv>
https://flic.kr/p/A8GVWo <https://flic.kr/p/A8GVWo>
Also there was a very distant - what looked to be - Golden Plover hanging
out behind a guard of 25 Killdeer who had there eye on me and behind the
posted sign to go no further. Therefore, my pictures are very lousy. But
what I saw through the scope was a definitely warm buffy plain breast with
only a very mild supercilium. I could detect some chevron line markings in
white on the back. There was a noticeable extension of the wings beyond the
tail but I couldn't count the primaries. There was also some white visible
at tail area as the bird leaned forward - are those the white undertail
coverts?
Pics:
https://flic.kr/p/Ap86s1 <https://flic.kr/p/Ap86s1>
https://flic.kr/p/ztqMe6 <https://flic.kr/p/ztqMe6>
https://flic.kr/p/Ao2ff3 <https://flic.kr/p/Ao2ff3>
https://flic.kr/p/A8HpFb <https://flic.kr/p/A8HpFb>
I have more pics of both birds but these are the best.
Thanks, Beverly Hallberg
