ML24869851

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

***First county record, and first record Seneca Lake. Spotted by TCL in with Redhead flock. Photos. Description: Size approximately the same as nearby Scaup, and significantly smaller and less chunky then Redhead. Head shape hard to gauge due to presence of tuft, but appeared to slope down quite sharply below the tuft. Roughly rounded front of head. Bill appeared about the same as Greater Scaup, being relatively large and speculate overall (though not as much so as a Greater Scaup) though the nail seemed smaller than a GRSC. Breast and undertail coverts black as was back, showing no sign of grayish at all on the back. These all contrasted very sharply with crisp white flanks, considerably cleaner and brighter than nearby scaup. Tuft was long, extending almost to back, and seemed to consist of two feathers. Eye was yellow. Separated from all other species by tuft, but more specifically, Ring-necked Duck by clean white flanks, and scaup by bright black back contrasting sharply with clean white flanks. This bird showed no discernible sign of hybridization, which I was actively looking for. The tuft was full-length, extending to the back and as important (more importantly?) the bird's back was completely black, lacking the slightest trace of gray or vermiculations as shown on nearly all (all?) hybrids. As a consequence, the contrast on parts of the back of hybrids (with scaup) should be slightly less stark. From RNDU hybrid (is that even possible?) as I would expect a greater amount of gray smudging in the flanks (this bird showed none) as well as a smaller tuft. Hybrids with larger Aythya negligible due to completely normal size, coloration, and structure of this bird.

Technical information

Model

Canon EOS 5D Mark III

Lens

EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM +1.4x III

ISO

800

Focal length

560 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire, auto

f-stop

f/10.0

Shutter speed

1/640 sec

Dimensions

1678 pixels x 840 pixels

Original file size

819.67 KB