ABA Big Year 2016 (2 Viewers)

ptickner · Mar 10, 2016

ovenbird43 said:
There is a mobile version and a "web" version - on the bottom of every page you can click "view web version" and get the same formatting as you post in your link.

Thank you for pointing this out! I've been struggling reading the mobile version, and the web version is much easier.

Xenospiza · Mar 10, 2016

Kratter said:
I see no iffiness. What makes you think hybrid?

Andy

Although Eurasian Wigeon is quite variable, I've never seen a Eurasian Wigeon with such greyish brown feathers in flanks and scapulars (an eclipse male is reddish brown, so they cannot be retained feathers). The pale cheek is also not so good. Could be a 3/4 Eurasian, 1/4 American? Next time I see a large number of wigeons, I'll check if I've been overlooking such birds (but I don't get many chances nowadays).

A very positive account of Newfoundland... a shame the birds are a bit less interesting (for a European) than those in Alaska.

Dortmundbirder · Mar 11, 2016

Xenospiza said:
A very positive account of Newfoundland... a shame the birds are a bit less interesting (for a European) than those in Alaska.

Definetly! Chasing for Fieldfares, Black headed Gulls and Pink-footed Geese is somehow funny from the European perspective. I think it would be the same for Americans reading a blog about Europeans getting excited for American Robins and Ring necked Ducks. But I really enjoy his blog and it is nice to see how many European vagrants are reaching the American continent.

Kratter · Mar 11, 2016

Xenospiza said:
Although Eurasian Wigeon is quite variable, I've never seen a Eurasian Wigeon with such greyish brown feathers in flanks and scapulars (an eclipse male is reddish brown, so they cannot be retained feathers). The pale cheek is also not so good. Could be a 3/4 Eurasian, 1/4 American? Next time I see a large number of wigeons, I'll check if I've been overlooking such birds (but I don't get many chances nowadays).
.

??? The male in the photo has pure gray flanks and scaps finely barred black. American Wigeon males have reddish brown flanks, not Eurasian. American Wigeon males have a dark cheek, not a pale one. Are we even looking at the same image? https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QaPy8BjX...AAABWE/6WAg2x-n4kA/s1600/eurasion+wgeon-1.jpg

Andy

Richard Klim · Mar 11, 2016

Paul Chapman said:
Newfoundland blog post added:-
http://olafsbigyear.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/uhtceare-about-rock.html?m=1

Topically, just published...

Clarke 2016. Birding Newfoundland. Birder's Guide 28(1): 22–34.

Xenospiza · Mar 11, 2016

Kratter said:
??? The male in the photo has pure gray flanks and scaps finely barred black. American Wigeon males have reddish brown flanks, not Eurasian. American Wigeon males have a dark cheek, not a pale one. Are we even looking at the same image? https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QaPy8BjX...AAABWE/6WAg2x-n4kA/s1600/eurasion+wgeon-1.jpg

Yes, I'd expect a male Eurasian Wigeon to look like this:
http://www.vogelsindekempen.nl/Multimedia/SmientSoerendonksGoor24-3-2006.jpg
So for the bird in NF: Where's the white forewing patch? Where are the pointed black scapulars? What's that brown smudge on the forehead? Something is definitely odd! (Note that I like odd birds...)

Paul Chapman · Mar 11, 2016

Link to next blog post:-

http://olafsbigyear.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/the-pink-menace-ii.html

All the best

Paul Chapman · Mar 12, 2016

Plugging away and now in Arizona:-

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28097080

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28095452

All the best

Nutcracker · Mar 12, 2016

Kratter said:
??? The male in the photo has pure gray flanks and scaps finely barred black. American Wigeon males have reddish brown flanks, not Eurasian. American Wigeon males have a dark cheek, not a pale one. Are we even looking at the same image? https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QaPy8BjX...AAABWE/6WAg2x-n4kA/s1600/eurasion+wgeon-1.jpg

Andy

Xenospiza said:
Yes, I'd expect a male Eurasian Wigeon to look like this:
http://www.vogelsindekempen.nl/Multimedia/SmientSoerendonksGoor24-3-2006.jpg
So for the bird in NF: Where's the white forewing patch? Where are the pointed black scapulars? What's that brown smudge on the forehead? Something is definitely odd! (Note that I like odd birds...)

Wonder if the Nfld bird is an intersex? The bits which aren't right all look to have female-type plumage.

Xenospiza · Mar 12, 2016

Nutcracker said:
Wonder if the Nfld bird is an intersex? The bits which aren't right all look to have female-type plumage.

Yes, you could well be right.

Mysticete · Mar 12, 2016

Of course, as soon as he leaves Canada a Tundra Bean Goose is found in Ontario...

Paul Chapman · Mar 12, 2016

Nutcracker said:
Wonder if the Nfld bird is an intersex? The bits which aren't right all look to have female-type plumage.

Xenospiza said:
Yes, you could well be right.

Anyone have links to any references on early spring plumages of first-summer drakes? I struggle to see any obvious American Wigeon indications in its plumage. BWP says some juveniles retain elements of juvenile type plumage until spring.

All the best

Paul Chapman · Mar 13, 2016

Still in Arizona yesterday per various checklists:-

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28129141

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28123342

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28122108

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28129001

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28123563

Now on 485 per eBird:-

http://ebird.org/ebird/top100?locInfo.regionCode=aba&yr=cur

Are there likely to be early spring rarities?

Looking forward to next update:-

http://olafsbigyear.blogspot.co.uk

All the best

Richard Klim · Mar 13, 2016

Paul Chapman said:
Are there likely to be early spring rarities?

Nothing reported from AZ in the latest ABA RBA...

Nate Swick, aba blog: Rare Bird Alert: March 11, 2016.

Mysticete · Mar 13, 2016

Pretty much the long staying or semi-reliable rare birds, most of which he nabbed earlier this year

Might be diminishing returns for the next few weeks.

csanchez7 · Mar 13, 2016

Redwing in New Hampshire...

Xenospiza · Mar 13, 2016

csanchez7 said:
Redwing in New Hampshire...

He already saw one in BC!

Selsey Birder · Mar 14, 2016

The recent Arizona trip is now available on the blog

Ian

dantheman · Mar 14, 2016

Thought this was meant to be a blog about ABA big year listing. Now there's pictures of old people kissing. Not what we want to be seeing at all, surely?

Paul Chapman · Mar 14, 2016

dantheman said:
Thought this was meant to be a blog about ABA big year listing. Now there's pictures of old people kissing. Not what we want to be seeing at all, surely?

Personally I'll be disappointed if there isn't a picture of him watching his 750th bird 'stark butt naked' though preferably from behind:-

http://www.amazon.com/Boobies-Pecke...id=1443309621&sr=8-1&keywords=boobies+peckers

And in any event - he is hardly old - http://olafsbigyear.blogspot.co.uk/

The back story is one of the things that makes this interesting and not one of those dry - I went to A and saw B; I went to C but failed to see D; stories that we have all found a bit numbing in the past.

The gnatcatcher reference brings back memories of Kingbird Highway. I must dig out the book.

All the best

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