I've corresponded with the reporter and it seems pretty good, not a domestic Mallard variant: She's familiar with the species from Denmark, the Great Lakes, and Alaska. The bird was alone in the middle of Dryden Lake, diving frequently. Using a scope, she "recognized him. The black & white plumage, and especially the shape of the bill, that absolutely straight slope from the forehead.... the deciding factor was that shape of the head & bill." Although the bird remained after she left yesterday afternoon, it was not there late this morning when Ann Mitchell & looked. Two lessons here, I think: First, when reporting something rare, include enough details to make the report credible. Second, when an incredible report comes in, check it out right away, even if those details are missing.
--Dave Nutter On Dec 27, 2014, at 02:51 PM, Jill Vaughan <[email protected]> wrote: > Marianne ludwigsen just called me from Dryden Lake where she saw a BALD EAGLE > and a COMMON EIDER. > -- > -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
