Some Ducks

Ah, for the days when I imagined that bird identification was simply a matter of checking off significant features. What I am discovering as I plunge a little more deeply into actually trying to identify birds is that they wear different costumes at different times of the year as well as at different times during their lives. So any given species may have a a half dozen different costumes depending on its gender, age and whether it is breeding season or not. Thus I can tell you that the duck on the left above is a Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) because of its very distinctive large flat bill. But I don't know its age or gender for sure. The yellow eye makes me think it's a male but the orange-ish bill makes me think it's a female. And though I've checked with several reputable field guides I can't really tell for sure whether it is a juvenile or an adult in non-breeding season plumage. In breeding season the male's distinctive plumage makes gender id easy and there don't appear to be any juveniles around at that time of year.

On the right above is a Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) but once again, for similar reasons, I am unable to be sure whether it is a male or female or a juvenile of either gender. Thanks to the internet I can check these identifications with more knowledgeable people on a local birding forum. I'll let you know what I find out.

Both of these ducks were photographed a few days ago at Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary on the outskirts of Victoria in Saanich.

Northern Shovelers

Here's another sign of how cold it has been in Victoria recently. Usually these Northern Shoveler Ducks are not seen on the shores of the Inner Harbour. Normally they like to hang out where they can root around in shallow fresh-water ponds such as are found at Rithet's Bog or Panama Flats. However I suspect these ponds are mostly frozen over now and that explains the presence of these Shovelers along the West Bay Walkway on Thursday.

Awkward Adolescent

When I first saw this duck I wasn't too sure what it was. Then I saw that distinctive long flat bill and knew it was a Northern Shoveler Duck. However, it seemed to have some of the characteristics of both the male and the female of this species so I asked for advice from a local birdwatchers website. I was correct in my identification of this bird as a Northern Shoveler; it's an adolescent male - and he certainly does have that adolescent gawkiness. The photo was taken at Rithet's Bog in Saanich.

Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)

Here's another new (for me) kind of duck that I saw while out at Rithet's Bog the other day. The two birds on the left are a pair of Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) Ducks, especially characterized by that extra large bill. (The black and gray bird on the right is an American Coot.)