tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521040984315843533.post8771561298943579146..comments2023-09-16T09:29:28.841+01:00Comments on gobirding.eu: Ferruginous DucksDave Appletonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15077880196249359409noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521040984315843533.post-53970328798614297722015-12-10T17:30:56.043+00:002015-12-10T17:30:56.043+00:00Hi Fraser, I think we'd need a better view of ...Hi Fraser, I think we'd need a better view of the ring to be sure. A metal ring doesn't necessarily mean it's an escapee, but nor does it mean it can't be an escapee. On balance it probably shifts the balance of probability more in favour of it being an escapee, unless the ring can be seen well enough to see what's written on it. If it is indeed a BTO ring that would be a different story!Dave Appletonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15077880196249359409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521040984315843533.post-19955995171512897602015-12-10T15:52:53.462+00:002015-12-10T15:52:53.462+00:00I just came across your blog because we have our 3...I just came across your blog because we have our 3rd male in 6 years and believe it is a wild bird, very wary. But somebody has posted somewhere that because it has a ring on it's left leg, it must be an escapee. I don't buy it in any way, as a few used to be ringed and would love to hear your thoughts. Fraser Cottington see www.berksbirds.co.uk and my blog http://fjcsdpbirding.blogspot.co.uk/Fraserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17845397314320466893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521040984315843533.post-81517400862187526012012-06-11T22:54:36.756+01:002012-06-11T22:54:36.756+01:00Thanks Tim! There are a couple of new points ther...Thanks Tim! There are a couple of new points there that I don't recall hearing in discussions about the Norfolk bird, so interesting stuff.<br /><br />Regarding point 3, some of the Ferruginous Ducks in Sicily were at lesat as dull as the Norfolk bird - I'd say a bit duller even, so I don't think overall colouration is a point against its purity.<br /><br />Point 2, and with your friend's supporting comment, is interesting. Certainly pure Ferruginous Ducks can and do hold their tails down over the coverts so that virtually no white is visible - this was my experience and is also mentioned in Keith Vinicombe's article on the ID of Ferruginous Ducks in BB (British Birds 93: 4-21, January 2000). Keith suggests this may be the case particularly with females, and that's my impression too. My photos above weren't selected to show this feature but you can see that many of images of females have little white visible and some have no white visible under the tail. Of course this doesn't mean that it's not a valid observation, or a genuine feature when watched over a sufficiently long period of time. I realise the locals formed their views on the Norfolk bird after many hours of observation across many different days, whereas I just saw it for an hour or two on a handful of occasions.<br /><br />Cheers,<br />DaveDave Appletonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15077880196249359409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521040984315843533.post-24141351798924190862012-06-10T22:51:01.494+01:002012-06-10T22:51:01.494+01:00Hi Dave,
nice addition to the website
paraphrasi...Hi Dave,<br /><br />nice addition to the website<br /><br />paraphrasing comments made by locals during discussions and correspondence, the issues with the Cockshoot bird are:<br />1) head shape consistently not quite right and head on the small side, not as large as expected<br />2) tail habitually held down masking the utcovs<br />3) colour not quite correct (not rich enough) for a pure female<br />4) bill thought to be a little short, perhaps too much black on tip<br /><br />a pure female bird was also present late in 2011 on which features contra those above were noted.<br /><br />The tail feature is quite interesting. A friend of mine recently watched hundreds of Fudge in Assam and not one was seen to habitually hold its tail down over the coverts...Tim Allwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04721253316151073487noreply@blogger.com