From south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] Fri Oct 25 13:51:38 2002 Received: from www.plaidworks.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.2/8.12.2) with ESMTP id g9PKmT1I008264 for <[[email protected]]>; Fri, 25 Oct 2002 13:48:29 -0700 (PDT) Received: from merlin.arc.nasa.gov (merlin.arc.nasa.gov [128.102.219.21]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.2/8.12.2) with ESMTP id g9PKlwhh008223 for <[[email protected]]>; Fri, 25 Oct 2002 13:47:58 -0700 (PDT) Received: from merlin.ARC.NASA.GOV by merlin.ARC.NASA.GOV (PMDF V6.1 #46498) id <[[email protected]]> for [[email protected]]; Fri, 25 Oct 2002 13:47:54 -0700 (PDT) Date: Fri, 25 Oct 2002 13:47:54 -0700 (PDT) From: [[email protected]] Message-id: <[[email protected]]> MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=us-ascii Subject: [SBB] Hybrid Gadwall? X-BeenThere: [[email protected]] X-Mailman-Version: 2.1b3+ Precedence: list Cc: [[email protected]], South Bay Birding <[[email protected]]> List-Unsubscribe: , List-Id: South Bay Birding List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , To: [[email protected]] Sender: south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] Errors-To: south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] Folks: I have posted this to both SBB and Pen-Birds, so please excuse the double messages to people on both lists. Yesterday, 10/24/2002, Jeff Wall <[[email protected]]> posted to Pen-Birds: "Today at the Radio Rd. pond in Redwood Shores there was a male Gadwall that had a dark reddish brown crown. The dark color does not fade into the face but extends down to the eye and ends abruptly. The rest of the bird appeared normal. Does anyone have any experience with this coloring in Gadwalls? I couldn't find anything like it in Sibley or NGS." Jeff has posted two photos (one slightly retouched) of this unusually marked male Gadwall. Although I've had difficulty accessing the sites, he has sent me both photos and will gladly send them to anyone else. The purpose of this note is to report a similar bird in the Mountain View Forebay and Shoreline Lake. Last Friday, 10/18/2002, I saw a male Gadwall in the Mountain View Forebay. The light was poor as it was overcast and probably just before sunrise. My description was: "Two toned head with darker above eye, normal or slightly lighter below. Body normal." Yesterday, 10/24/2002, in very good light I saw this same male or possibly another on Shoreline Lake. I did not make a written description, but noted that the darker crown and upper face seemed a result of black and rufous brown feathers, with very fine streaks. The two-toned effect of the first bird was very noticeable, while the lower face did not seem so much lighter than a normal Gadwall on yesteray's bird. I've looked at Jeff Wall's photos carefully and, as best I can tell, the pattern and coloration is identical to the first bird I saw and certainly the pattern is identical to the second. If these birds are hybrids, then I would guess they are some sort of back cross (Am. Wigeon?). Regardless, I'm delighted with Jeff's photos to document these birds; clearly there is more than one. Please keep an eye out for the Mountain View bird. And express your opinion as to whether there are hybrid genes involved or just unusual color variation. Bill _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. south-bay-birds mailing list ([[email protected]]) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: http://www.plaidworks.com/mailman/options/south-bay-birds/south-bay-birds-archive%40plaidworks.com This email sent to [[email protected]]