Bill Lamond
Today at about 1pm, Denys Gardiner and myself saw a male Eurasian Teal in
the concrete ponds adjacent to the Niagara River opposite Dufferin Island.
These ponds are located 300m south of the Ontario Hydro Engineering Building
(opposite the old barge) in Niagara Falls. It was with Green-winged Teal and
wigeon. Interestingly if a British birder was there today he would have had
one extra species over locals. The British Ornithological Union (BOU) has
recognized Eurasian (Common) Teal (Anas crecca) as a distinct species from
Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis) since 2000. The AOU has not (yet?)
followed suit and I have no idea if they will. This is the first time I have
seen this subspecies (species?) in Ontario. Perhaps in the near future I can
add it to my Ontario list as a full species!
