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Well, Edge describes the same bird I saw at about 8:30 this morning. For about two seconds I thought I had finally added this nemesis bird to my life list (closest encounter was a Blue-winged x Cinnamon cross at Squaw Creek a couple years ago)--then I noticed a blue-green gloss on the upper part of the head. Thought to myself, "Look away now, because if you keep looking, it will be a hybrid." But I looked anyway. From my notes: --Overall reddish / rusty red --Red eye --Head: Reddish with blue-green sheen on upper sides and maybe back of head; faint crescent behind bill, with some white feathers; small white crescent or comma in front of eye --Sides have scaled appearance, not smooth; shoulder shows some blue-green glossy color --A hint at a pale hip patch, but no white feathers there While I watched this bird, it was doing the same head-bobbing display as the male Blue-winged Teal. The other Blue-winged Teal reacted quite aggressively toward his enthusiastic display and he spent much of his time dodging the others. About 10 Tree Swallows were in the area--year birds for me. I assume they're recent arrivals. Kristi Mayo Kearney MO (Clay Co.) [log in to unmask] On Thursday, March 11, 2004, at 10:58 AM, Edge Wade wrote: > I went to Eagle Bluffs this morning a little after 9, hoping for my > first Boone Co. Cinnamon Teal. It was not to be. > > Passed Kathleen and Harold Anderson on the way in. They had passed > Kristi Mayo on her way out. Both Kristi and Kathleen said they had > excellent light conditions that left little doubt the bird observed is > a > hybrid Cinnamon Teal/Blue-winged Teal cross. > > With full confidence in Kristi's and the Anderson's i.d. skills, I > considered turning around, but the native Missourian gene said, "Go > look > for yourself." So I went on. > > The light was great, the wind was awful. The teal were playing hide > and > seek in the reeds. I parked at the gate on the levee with the eagle > nest and found the blue-winged teal, then the oddball among them. I > put > the scope on it. > > The only non-Blue-winged Teal I found displayed these characteristics: > > 1. Fairly dim, but definite crescent at base of bill (especially > noticeable on the left side. > 2. Bill not apparently larger than those of the BWTE around it. > 3. Dark spots/vermiculation on the flanks; not solid, one-color > flanks. > 4. Overall color not the deep "cinnamon" I'd seen on several birds > just > two weeks ago in California. > > Regrettably, this is a hybrid. Perhaps there is a second duck in the > area, but I couldn't find it. Kristi and/or Kathleen may have > observations to add to this description. > > Edge Wade > Columbia, MO > [log in to unmask] > > __________________________________________________ > * Audubon Society of Missouri's * > * Wild Bird Discussion Forum * > *------------------------------------------------* > * To unsubscribe send the message * > * SIGNOFF MOBIRDS-L * > * to [log in to unmask] * > * To subscribe send the message * > * SUBSCRIBE MOBIRDS-L your name * > * to [log in to unmask] * > *------------------------------------------------* > * To access the list archives from July 2002 on: * > * http://po.missouri.edu/archives/mobirds-l.html * > * * > * To access the Audubon Society of Missouri Web * > * Site: http://www.mobirds.org * > ################################################## > __________________________________________________ * Audubon Society of Missouri's * * Wild Bird Discussion Forum * *------------------------------------------------* * To unsubscribe send the message * * SIGNOFF MOBIRDS-L * * to [log in to unmask] * * To subscribe send the message * * SUBSCRIBE MOBIRDS-L your name * * to [log in to unmask] * *------------------------------------------------* * To access the list archives from July 2002 on: * * http://po.missouri.edu/archives/mobirds-l.html * * * * To access the Audubon Society of Missouri Web * * Site: http://www.mobirds.org * ##################################################