Bayfarm Island duck
Wed, 6 Sep 2000 14:18:12 -0700
From: Jen
Hi,
I'm Jen and I'm new to the list and have only been a birder for a few years now. I've been birding off of Harbor Bay Parkway near the ferry station and see a bird that I cannot ID. I have been told it could be a scaup in eclipse plumage or a female Tufted Duck (without the tuft). Is there any marking or clue that I could look for to be able to tell for sure? It's a small duck, bright yellow eyes, dark bill and legs, chocolate brown head and body, back and wings slightly mottled. I guess it could also be an escaped domestic, but I doubt it. I've ruled out Ring-necked (head's too round). I've got Peterson's Western Birds and Audubon's but they're not very helpful at this time. If anyone can give me a clue to my mystery, I'd truly be grateful...
Jen
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Re: Bayfarm Island duck
06 Sep 2000 15:16:25 -0700
From: Les Chibana
A female Aythya in eclipse plumage... probably one of your more difficult ID challenges. Neither of the scaup are common during summer although a few may oversummer. Tufted Duck are rare in winter; probably never found in summer/early fall (are there any records in California for this time period?) Since the fall migration is ramping up, a scaup is more likely.
There was a female Tufted Duck at Lake Merritt (Oakland) last winter and I suppose it's remotely possible that she could have hung around the area, or didn't migrate very far in spring and is already back in the area.
You might able to distinguish between a Greater and Lesser Scaup at this time even though some features may not be apparent in eclipse plumage. Lesser Scaup have a break, a step down, at their mid- to hind-crown profile. Greater Scaup have a round head with no abbreviated crest-like feature. Greater Scaup appear larger in body and head with fuller cheeks. Lesser Scaup are more petite, especially in the head. Bill size follows head and body size and the dark bill tip (nail) is broader in Greater Scaup, although this is easier to see on males.
Because the sampling of female Tufted Duck that I've seen is 1 (one), I'll leave further descriptions to others with more experience.
You can also take a look at
for a discussion and photos of winter Tufted Duck variations. These are mostly males with some females shown, but in winter plumage. But it might help.
Les Chibana, South-west SF Bay birder
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Re: Bayfarm Island duck
Wed, 06 Sep 2000 23:14:23 -0700
From: Larry Tunstall
Hi Jen & Les,
Both species of scaup are present though rare around the Bay through the summer. Tufted Ducks are so rare in general that I wouldn't seriously worry about looking for one from April through October. Steve Glover and Mike Feighner can probably tell us more about the historical records.
I've spent a lot of time at Lake Merritt in Oakland, including periods when a Tufted Duck was in temporary residence there. I found that the quickest way to pick a Tufted Duck (or a Ring-necked Duck) out of a big flock of scaups was to check the backs. In the male, the mottled gray back of the scaups is quite different from the solid black back of the Tufted or Ring-necked. In the female, particularly in eclipse plumage, the difference is not as striking, but still does exist.
However, I must say that after years of being close to these ducks almost every day, I still struggle to separate the two scaup species, particularly with females, unless the light is very good and the plumages are crisp. Usually, by the end of the winter, I'm beginning to be able to distinguish them at a glance. Then I have to start all over again the next fall.
Tufted and Ring-necked Ducks add some more complications. And when you think you've got those, someone will come along and nonchalantly inform you, "Oh, that's a hybrid between a scaup and a Ring-necked Duck."
Anyhow, if you want to get better at these distinctions, I recommend making frequent visits to Lake Merritt over the course of a year as the plumages change, preferably at feeding time by the Rotary Nature Center. You can observe the ducks at very close range and take your time studying differences and similarities.
Good birding, Larry
Larry Tunstall
El Cerrito CA
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Willow Flycatcher
Thu, 7 Sep 2000 20:53:25 -0700
From: Emilie Strauss
In Tilden Regional Park [Berkeley Hills] today, there was a Willow Flycatcher on the northern and of the Upper Packrat Trail (also seen by George Griffeth). Other migrants included Black-throated Gray Warblers, Townsend's Warblers, Yellow Warblers, Wilson's Warblers, Swainson's Thrushes, Western Tanagers, Pacific-slope Flycatchers, and Warbling Vireos.