Denmark. Duck (1 Viewer)

[testoduro]

Last week in a lake. Another far, far away picture. My apologies! The bird on the right, looks like...

a)Female Red- Breasted Pochard. Yes, only the species should not occur in Denmark.
b)Female Garganey.
c) Female Common Scoter. But all by herself in a lake?

Which do you think?
Thanks in advance!

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello,

do you have more pictures?

I cant identify your bird with confidence, but my guess in quiz modus would be Common Teal. My gut feeling is

• it seems a small Duck in relation to the other ones
• the head pattern recalling a Scooter seems good for a Teal
• can I detect the right pale mudd- yellowish-flesh area on the bill base???
• the dark area on the chin is present in some moulting Teals and eclipse male Mallards.

But yes, this is wishful thinking, but these are the points that give your bird a Teal feeling for me.

 

[testoduro]

Hello,

do you have more pictures?

I cant identify your bird with confidence, but my guess in quiz modus would be Common Teal.

Thank you, Alexander! I have no more photos of our bird but I've attached an enlargement of the op so you can compare its size with the Mallard's behind. The size speaks for a Teal's id, as does the abundance of Teals in the lake. But the facial pattern doesn't seem quite right for a Teal, does it?

 

[Joern Lehmhus]

I think facial pattern is ok, given the heavy artefacts . I´d also go for teal.

 

[Ratal]

You saw it with your naked eye - is this what it looked like?

 

[Ratal]

I am presuming that you need to ID the center bird, yes? If so - It is a Common Scoter

 

[petemorris]

I am presuming that you need to ID the center bird, yes? If so - It is a Common Scoter

Oh no it isn't!

 

[Butty]

It is a Common Scoter

Oh no it isn't!

Disappointing to see neither side giving reasons - especially as this is an option that the OP specifically asked about.

 

[petemorris]

Disappointing to see neither side giving reasons - especially as this is an option that the OP specifically asked about.

The answers had already been given above! Clearly a poor photo of a dabbling duck, most likely a (Eurasian) Teal.

 

[jogresh]

Teal for me.

 

[Butty]

The answers had already been given above!

So you didn't read my comment. Hey ho.

 

[petemorris]

So you didn't read my comment. Hey ho.

🤔 I think you'll find I did, which is why I expanded my answer. Apologies if my use of answers in the plural confused you. But the previous answers (in the plural) suggested teal with some degree of reasoning. With such a poor and pixelated image, it is not possible to go in to fine detail. Hey ho.