To add to Chris's comments, when I started to count the Redhead, this bird
appeared in my scope view, fairly dark sides and nearly black back started
my pulse going. Then it turned and I saw the head well, including a short
tuft at which time I said something to myself like Holy .... Hey, Chris,
take a look at this bird !! I've spent a little time looking into aging
and sexing these birds, though not nearly as much as Chris, and I'm also
leaning towards a female, though it's certainly not an easy or
straightforward call.
Hope it sticks around,
Jeff
On Tue, Jan 29, 2013 at 7:18 PM, Christopher Wood <[email protected]>wrote:
> I think many people have heard that Jeff Gerbracht and I saw a Tufted Duck
> at Hog Hole, Ithaca NY today. Here are my checklist notes from eBird along
> with a link to my eBird checklist that includes photos and more comments.
> You can click the Map link in eBird if you are not familiar with Hog Hole.
> Hopefully careful checking of the south end of the lake tomorrow will allow
> others to see the bird.
>
> eBird Checklist comments:
>
> After an extended eBird meeting that went well into lunch, Jeff
> Gerbracht and I decided to go down to Hog Hole to look for the Eared Grebe
> that Dave Nutter had seen earlier in the day. We debated whether to scan
> from the highway or to come to Hog Hole. Since CLW keeps a Hog Hole list,
> he was very interested in going to see the grebe from Hog Hole and Jeff was
> more than accommodating. We arrived and after a few minutes of scanning
> found the Eared Grebe close to shore. Little did we know at the time, but
> the real treat was yet to come! Being good eBirders, we wanted to do good
> counts of all the ducks. As Jeff was carefully counting Redheads, he came
> upon a very interesting duck and quickly showed me through the scope --
> TUFTED DUCK! Aging/sexing is complicated, but clearly not an adult male. As
> of this point I believe it is likely a first-year female, but need to be a
> bit more work to figure out timing of eye color changes, extent of white
> by age and sex, and timing of molt. We managed to get some video and a
> few images before the rain started pouring down.
>
> WEATHER: Overcast, initially with light drizzle becoming a heavy and
> soaking downpour. 37F. Calm.
>
> http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S12764792
>
> Best wishes,
> Chris
>
> Christopher Wood
> eBird Project Leader
> Cornell Lab of Ornithology
> http://ebird.org
> http://birds.cornell.edu
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> Cornell Lab of Ornithology
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