Whatbird.com

Hello my fellow birders....

 

I am in the middle of a trip of a lifetime (for me, at least).  I Live in CT and I am driving to Alaska, through Canada.  Right now I am in a Hampton Inn in British Columbia...the first place that let me upload the needed software to use my Sandisk transfer thingy.... even though everything will be deleted.

My route took/takes me from Connecticut, through NY and New Jersey super fast, all the way through Pennsylvania the long way, then Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota...over the border...Saskatchewan, Alberta, BC, Yukon...over the border.... then Alaska.

 

Since I left I have already added 8 new species to my life list..... American Bittern, Sandhill Crane, Common Nighthawk, Western Grebe, Swainson's Hawk, Am. White Pelican, Merlin, Yellow-headed Blackbird and Franklin's Gull.  I also saw (95% sure) the beautiful pale variant of Red-tails... the Krider's Hawk.  Plus about 5-6 species I need your guys help with.  So here is the first of a few new post I will start.

 

 

In North Dakota I camped out one night in Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge in the northwestern corned of the state.  There is where I saw the Krider's, Merlin, and Pelicans.... and one of a couple places where I saw Swainson's Hawks, Western Grebes and Franklin's gulls.  In the large lake there were a lot of ducks and pelicans, and I believe these are Redheads.  Although I just want to be sure....

 

Yay or nay???  Whatever they are, there are both male and females.

 

 

Thanks...

---

2010 Highlights: Orange-crowned Warbler (CT, 1/8), Lapland Longspur (1/6), Snowy Owl (1/1)

Life List: 304
Life Higlights: No Wheatear (CT), Pacific Loon (CT), Whooping Crane (ND!!), Prothonatary warbler (CT), Trumpeter Swan (AK), Golden Eagle (CT)

They look like canvasbacks to me, though it is difficult for me to be 100% with that photo.  Perhaps your memory of the bird will help.  Canvasbacks have a bill that swoops down from the forehead, giving the illusion that they do not have a forehead.  Redheads, on the other hand, have the typical duck bill and forehead.  I'm not sure if I've explained this in a way that is understandable, but take a look at some photos of canvasbacks and let us know what you think.

 Oh yeah, it looks like you've also got a ring-necked duck on the far right.

I understand what you were talking about with the bills.  Unfortunately, this is as close as I got to the ducks so I wasn't able to get a good look at them.  I do have another photo of a duck that was by itself, which I thought could have been of the same species, but only like 200-300 yards away.....

Here is another shot of the group of ducks.  The first one I posted was zoomed in and cropped, this is one of two originals.

I'm going to go ahead and have to agree with you on the Canvasback idea (Lumberg)... the females look waaaay more like Canvasbacks than Redheads.  And, from what you pointed out about the bills....

 

By the way.... good call on the Ring-neck.  I didn't even look at that one close enough to realize it was a different species.  The white line on the bill is a dead give away.  The cool thing is that all three of the ducks in question are new to me! 

---

2010 Highlights: Orange-crowned Warbler (CT, 1/8), Lapland Longspur (1/6), Snowy Owl (1/1)

Life List: 304
Life Higlights: No Wheatear (CT), Pacific Loon (CT), Whooping Crane (ND!!), Prothonatary warbler (CT), Trumpeter Swan (AK), Golden Eagle (CT)

Yep all Canvasbacks.  You can tell by the bill.  There is one Ring necked duck in there as well (the one with the black head and white towards the end of the bill).

Oh, MoJo!  To say this is a trip of a lifetime is an understatement.  I can only dream of taking a trip like this.  Super, Super, Super cool!  I am so jealous!  (in a good way though) ;)) 

Keep us updated!

---

Matthew 6:26
James 1:2-5

They are Canvasbacks.  The coloring may lead you to think of a Redhead but the bill is the main clue.

---

http://whatbird.com/forums/photos/birdman/

Look good for Canvasbacks. Sloping bill is completely different than that of the Redhead

---

Life list: 259 | Year list: 146 | Year lifers: 16 | Last lifer: Worm-eating Warbler | Last year tick: Louisiana Waterthrush

Oh I will definately have more photos in a couple weeks.  When I get back I'm sure I'll need help with Canadian and Alaskan birds =)

---

2010 Highlights: Orange-crowned Warbler (CT, 1/8), Lapland Longspur (1/6), Snowy Owl (1/1)

Life List: 304
Life Higlights: No Wheatear (CT), Pacific Loon (CT), Whooping Crane (ND!!), Prothonatary warbler (CT), Trumpeter Swan (AK), Golden Eagle (CT)