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.

   

AN INTERESTING TREE, CRANBERRY MARSH,LYNDE SHORES CONSERVATION AREA,WHITBY, ON, 4/24/18

NORTHERN SHOVELERS, CRANBERRY MARSH,LYNDE SHORES CONSERVATION AREA,WHITBY, ON, 4/24/18

   The Northern Shovelers in the first two photos are breeding males.  In the last photo a female Northern Shoveler is in the center and the  breeding males on the left and right.

BREEDING GREATER YELLOWLEGS, CRANBERRY MARSH,LYNDE SHORES CONSERVATION AREA,WHITBY, ON, 4/24/18

COLONY OF BONAPARTE'S GULLS, CRANBERRY MARSH,LYNDE SHORES CONSERVATION AREA,WHITBY, ON, 4/24/18

MALE RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, CRANBERRY MARSH, LYNDE SHORES CONSERVATION AREA,WHITBY, ON, 4/24/18

GREAT BLUE HERON & SWAN, CRANBERRY MARSH,LYNDE SHORES CONSERVATION AREA,WHITBY, ON, 4/24/18