The Return of the Mallard x Wigeon hybrid

I did of course see some Pine Grosbeaks today and also took some pretty cool photos (if I say so myself) but will wait to publish these such that your lust for the Piney has had a chance to return.

Instead I will treat you with pictures of a dodgy duck. In November 2015, the very competent Anne Kari Norland discovered a Mallard x Wigeon hybrid which stayed the winter and was also lucky enough to get itself blinged. It did not return subsequently until Anne Kari again discovered it a couple of weeks ago. In 2015 it was aged as a 1cy bird (this can be seen by comparing the tertial feathers from then and now – they were much shorter in 2015) so is now in its fifth calendar year. 

I find hybrids very interesting and with this bird there has been a change in its head pattern with it now having a vertical black line in the yellow cheeks which is a feature that many dabbling duck hybrids have and which reminds one of Baikal Teal (indeed over the years many hybrids have been mistakenly identified as Baikal Teal…)

Mallard x Wigeon hybrid. This bird was ringed as 1cy in December 2015 so is now in its 5th year 

those vertical black stripes in the cheeks are reminiscent of Baikal Teal

a comparison of the head pattern in 2015 vs 2019

picture taken with flash (it was gloomy today)

it was dark today - Goosander and Mallards

female Teal