BREEDING MALE EURASIAN WIGEON, CRANBERRY MARSH,LYNDE SHORES CONSERVATION AREA,WHITBY, ON, 4/26/18

   The last few days, ebird has indicated that a Eurasian Wigeon had been sighted at Cranberry Marsh at Lynde Shores Conservation Area in Whitby.  We went on Tuesday and today and finally sighted and photographed it today.  We were able to sight it with the help of another birder who had a scope.

   We can ID this duck as a breeding male Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope) by its following characteristics:

      - Dark rufous head and neck with a buffy forehead (you can just make the buffy forehead out in 

         the first two photos).

      - Gray flanks and back.

      - Black rear end.

      - White patch on wings.

      - Pinkish-gray breast.

      - Bluish-gray bill with black tip.

   The Eurasian Wigeon is common and widespread in the Old World and is a sporatic visitor to North America.  Eurasian Wigeons can often be found in the company of American Wigeons.

   The Eurasian Wigeon is a new species to our Photographic Life List, which now stands at 779.