Northern Shoveler, Pegasus, Canterbury.
- Adam C
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Re: Northern Shoveler, Pegasus, Canterbury.
Red dot below Andrew
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Samuel Ullman
Samuel Ullman
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Re: Northern Shoveler, Pegasus, Canterbury.
awesome, thanks! I think with these Northern Shovelers and Chestnut Teal folks should not resist the inclination to give the vast waterfowl flocks at Lake Ellesmere a bit of a scan through when next encountering them. Might just be a Musk Duck or a Pink-eared one sitting in the middle?!!
- Oscar Thomas
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Re: Northern Shoveler, Pegasus, Canterbury.
Still present Sunday around midday.
- CMKMStephens
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Re: Northern Shoveler, Pegasus, Canterbury.
Hopefully sticks around as I'm back down to CHCH on Friday and heading this way.
- CMKMStephens
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Re: Northern Shoveler, Pegasus, Canterbury.
Still there 30th and 31st. Both times in the northern pond to the one with the red dot above. Loads of Australasian Shovelers for comparison. Also, both times immediately set sail further away from the track.
- Michael Szabo
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Re: Northern Shoveler, Pegasus, Canterbury.
Reported present there again via Facebook by Janet Burton on Wednesday 3rd August.
'Birds New Zealand' Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Birdsnewzealand
- Steve Wood
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Re: Northern Shoveler, Pegasus, Canterbury.
Still present today at the northern ponds.Starting to loose some of its luster but still quite distinctive amongst the few Australians
- Oscar Thomas
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Re: Northern Shoveler, Pegasus, Canterbury.
Steve, your bird is a dead ringer for the pale Australasian/potential hybrid I saw alongside the Northern en route back from Westport in July (excuse the photo quality). Shared here: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=11729. Your pics make me more inclined towards it being a hybrid, or perhaps even a 2nd Northern going into eclipse plumage.
- Steve Wood
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Re: Northern Shoveler, Pegasus, Canterbury.
Oscar, you never mentioned why you think it is a Hybryd ? It shows all the key features of a Northern moulting into breeding plumage ?
(see below bottom photo), head colour aside as it is hard to ascertain its true colour as it is either fading fast or coming into colour.
A hybrid is certainly a consideration especially when dealing with waterfowl but should not always the default setting if not a classic example,which seems to be popular claim at the moment. e.g recent Chestnut Teal.
When you see this bird from Bromley poo ponds, it shows lightly speckled chest and a hint of facial crescent which is all acceptable (apparently) for Northern.
(see below bottom photo), head colour aside as it is hard to ascertain its true colour as it is either fading fast or coming into colour.
A hybrid is certainly a consideration especially when dealing with waterfowl but should not always the default setting if not a classic example,which seems to be popular claim at the moment. e.g recent Chestnut Teal.
When you see this bird from Bromley poo ponds, it shows lightly speckled chest and a hint of facial crescent which is all acceptable (apparently) for Northern.
- Oscar Thomas
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Re: Northern Shoveler, Pegasus, Canterbury.
Hi Steve,
Yep I have to admit I have no idea, all I know is I saw this intermediate bird (with a lighter head, less white on the breast/flank, and a crescent on the face) that looks like a Northern Shoveler, alongside a definite Northern Shoveler (still mostly in breeding plumage). It is reminiscent to me of Russell Canning's Huntly bird from last year, which 'was not accepted by the RAC since hybridism was not possible to rule out'. Russ and Andrew Crossland go through the potential for plumage variation in more detail here: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=11052&p=48576&hilit=hakanoa#p48576
Yep I have to admit I have no idea, all I know is I saw this intermediate bird (with a lighter head, less white on the breast/flank, and a crescent on the face) that looks like a Northern Shoveler, alongside a definite Northern Shoveler (still mostly in breeding plumage). It is reminiscent to me of Russell Canning's Huntly bird from last year, which 'was not accepted by the RAC since hybridism was not possible to rule out'. Russ and Andrew Crossland go through the potential for plumage variation in more detail here: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=11052&p=48576&hilit=hakanoa#p48576