Thursday 25 April 2013
Lisvane Reservoir Aythya
A few pics of an Aythya hybrid on Lisvane Res. It has been around since 20/4/13, but always distant from the Black Oak viewing platform and I've only just twigged that its worth a long hard look! Still present this evening. I guess its partly tufted, but opinions on the likely parents gratefully received!
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5 comments:
Very difficult to say with any certainty. If I were to guess, and it would be a guess, Tufted Duck and New Zealand Scaup would probably produce something resembling this.
There is an illustration of TDXNZS in Eric Gillham's Hybrid Ducks publication (Eric spent his life studying duck hybrids) this has a bill pattern and shape somewhat different from this bird, it has a black nail and no pale band as this bird seems to have. Unfortunately Eric is no longer with us but, from my conversations with him, it was quite apparent that these hybrids can be very variable as to what features are expressed, but Barry's guess seems to be as good as you may get. I'll continue to look through Eric literature to see if I can come up with anything more concrete.
Pinioned NZ Scaup was present not too long ago on Roath Park Lake so might support Barry's view.
Thanks chaps, v interesting. I also have a note of a "dark-brown flanked male tufted with green-toned head" on 6/4/2012 (the same day as the ferruginous duck!). Presumably the same bird.
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