ML617642411

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

Amazing find by Jeff Vinosky. I could not get up to see the bird until after 1800, arriving at 1812, I was the only birder present at the time and only had 14 min of extended view before a noisy Killdeer spooked the ducks into flight. My only experience with this species is with the Florida subspecies which from my recollection is a noticeably paler bird than this individual, which would suggest the gulf coast subspecies. Since I have no experience with this subspecies and it being a vagrant, I will stay in my lane and merely suggest the possibility of this subspecies rather than claiming it assuredly. Adult male in the company of an adult male Mallard the entire time, flew off at 1826 headed in the direction of the other pond discovered by J. Horn located at (40.5539295, -75.6511753). Notes for my own memory: Bird does not suggest hybridization, the typical tell- tale sign of recurved central retrices were not present, in addition the untertail coverts (UTC) were dark as was the tail, and finally the cheeks of this bird were unstreaked and buffy. The open wing color of blue-green with slim white border to the secondaries eliminate it from the open wing of American Black duck which would have no white in secondaries and a purple speculum. Other factors separating it from American Black Duck are buffy head rather than streaked grey, black spot at the gape, and yellow bill rather than yellow green bill of ABDU. Bird does not have any signs of being from an aviculturist as the hallux (halluces) on both feet were fully intact, bird was able to fly, and bird did not demonstrate any familiarity with humans i.e. was wary.

Technical information

Model

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Lens

EF500mm f/4L IS II USM

ISO

5000

Focal length

500 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/5.0

Shutter speed

1/1000 sec

Dimensions

781 pixels x 551 pixels

Original file size

123.86 KB