ML132878081

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

Spotted by Jim on lawn at east end of lake with male and female Black-headed. Similar in size and shape, and even the overall plumage patterns, but a somewhat colder shade of brown above and essentially white below (apart from some rich buff that I think was at the sides of the breast). The head was proportionately large and the bill tapered from a massive base to a broadly pointed tip along a culmen that was distinctly decurved. The neck was short and stocky, the body was plump, and the tail was at least relatively short, but I failed to notice the length of shape of the closed wings. I thought the crown and auriculars were blacker than in the female Black-headed and the supercilium whiter. The back was a colder brown and streaked darker and the wings were dusky with white tips to the median coverts and I think also the greaters, but I am less sure about the latter. The remiges were dark but with paler fringes. The tail was dark brown but I think it had paler fringes. The underparts were white and relatively boldly streaked throughout. The streaks on the sides and flanks were dusky brown, well-defined, and somewhat flared (especially those on the flanks). The streaks were finer as they extended across the breast, but still bolder than those on even the most boldly marked Black-headed. The throat was white and unmarked but there seemed to be a paler crescent below the eye. This bird had an extensively pinkish bill with a dark culmen and dark eyes, but I cannot recall seeing the legs or feet.

Technical information

Model

COOLPIX P5100

ISO

64

Focal length

21.5 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire, auto

f-stop

f/5.2

Shutter speed

1/125 sec

Dimensions

4000 pixels x 3000 pixels

Original file size

3.54 MB