ML397388331
Contributor
Date
Location
- Age
- Not specified
- Sex
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Observation details
Exceptional. First found during a period of sleet/rain mix on the same farm pond where I photographed one during a CBC several years ago. In this first observation I noted a bird with heavy wing beats passing through a pair of Bonaparte’s I immediately got the bird in my binocs where I noted it’s black under wings before it settled on the pond out of view. Just moment later it flew but I was able to find it in scope and confirm the black under wings, crisp pale tone and heavy flight. It quickly flew out of view onto river. Later while checking a pond near this one I noted Bonaparte’s roosting quickly found and adult like Black-headed sitting with them. With this better view (no longer sleeting) I could confirm a dark red bill along with the paler tone and significant size difference compared to nearby Bonaparte’s. At one point I thought I may have two (!!) adults but everything quickly shuffled and the subject bird (or both?) began to head off with a departing gull flock, at which time I again watched the black underwings. I was only able to digiscoped terrible photos that faintly show the winter head pattern of a Bonaparte’s/Black headed but also captures the size disparity between the two species.
Technical information
- Dimensions
- 760 pixels x 570 pixels
- Original file size
- 89.58 KB