tame Garganeys on wintering grounds? (1 Viewer)

wimvdam · Nov 28, 2017

Does anyone have experience with wintering Garganeys that behave much more tame than one would typically expect from this species? I'm thinking about hanging out in city ponds, being attracted by kids feeding ducks, that kind of stuff. Are there cases of genuine wild Garganeys that, for one reason or the other, lost their usual shyness?

Here's the background to this question. A few days ago a hatch-year Garganey showed up in a park in Orcutt, California. In many aspects this bird looks good for being a genuine vagrant: it's the right season, it's a first year bird, and its feathers and hind toes are intact. Its tameness, however, has raised questions about its provenance. I'm trying to figure out if it is possible to have a wild, young, lost bird with this behavior.

Thanks.

Wim van Dam
US-CA Solvang

Stephen Dunstan · Nov 28, 2017

wimvdam said:
Does anyone have experience with wintering Garganeys that behave much more tame than one would typically expect from this species? I'm thinking about hanging out in city ponds, being attracted by kids feeding ducks, that kind of stuff. Are there cases of genuine wild Garganeys that, for one reason or the other, lost their usual shyness?

Here's the background to this question. A few days ago a hatch-year Garganey showed up in a park in Orcutt, California. In many aspects this bird looks good for being a genuine vagrant: it's the right season, it's a first year bird, and its feathers and hind toes are intact. Its tameness, however, has raised questions about its provenance. I'm trying to figure out if it is possible to have a wild, young, lost bird with this behavior.

Thanks.

Wim van Dam
US-CA Solvang

I have seen an adult male hanging out with park lake Mallards, so I would think it's possible if admittedly very uncommon.

JWN Andrewes · Nov 28, 2017

I think the key here is "on wintering grounds", not something I'm too familiar with, but this individual last year in early September was mooching with the assorted gubbins you get on most town park ponds (although in this instance the "town" is the village of Hornsea in East Yorkshire, which has a rather large lake attached, but the principle holds). Didn't see it coming to bread or anything, but I don't think I've ever seen one tamer, and have no reason to suspect it wasn't wild.

Little SuperBirder · Nov 30, 2017

I'm leaning pretty heavily towards the CA bird being a wild bird, but at the same time I just can't get the 5% of my brain that questions it out. To chase or not to chase... if it was a few hours closer it'd be an easy answer.

Nutcracker · Nov 30, 2017

Little SuperBirder said:
I'm leaning pretty heavily towards the CA bird being a wild bird, but at the same time I just can't get the 5% of my brain that questions it out. To chase or not to chase... if it was a few hours closer it'd be an easy answer.

Usual rule in these circumstances applies.

If you go, and see it, it's wild.

If you don't go, or if you go, but miss it, it's an escape.

8-P

Paul Longland · Dec 1, 2017

Nutcracker said:
Usual rule in these circumstances applies.

If you go, and see it, it's wild.

If you don't go, or if you go, but miss it, it's an escape.

8-P

it is whatever LGRE says it is surely3

wimvdam · Dec 1, 2017

Thanks everyone. I agree that this discussion is a lot about "birder behaviour". How this individual ends up in the books probably depends on how many CBRC members make the effort to go out and see it themselves.

Wim

Nutcracker · Dec 1, 2017

Paul Longland said:
it is whatever LGRE says it is surely3

LGRE's authority doesn't extend to the USA

:-O

Tiraya · Dec 2, 2017

Nutcracker said:
LGRE's authority doesn't extend to the USA

:-O

He had a lot to say about the Spanish (Italian?) sparrow that arrived in Los Angeles, I seem to recall. Although if you weren't on the local LA group, you might not know that.

Now to determine if his authority is ship-assisted in the US or not...

Little SuperBirder · Dec 2, 2017

wimvdam said:
How this individual ends up in the books probably depends on how many CBRC members make the effort to go out and see it themselves.

Wim

lol

tame Garganeys on wintering grounds? (1 Viewer)

More options

wimvdam

Well-known member

Stephen Dunstan

Registered User

JWN Andrewes

Poor Judge of Pasta.

Attachments

Little SuperBirder

Addicted to Birds

Nutcracker

Stop Brexit!

Paul Longland

Well-known member

wimvdam

Well-known member

Nutcracker

Stop Brexit!

Tiraya

San Diego CA

Little SuperBirder

Addicted to Birds

Similar threads

Users who are viewing this thread