Northern Shoveler Otaki Sewage ponds 7 may 2022

[Wrybill]

I am a 12 year old birdwatcher living in otaki I went birding to the sewage ponds on 7 may with my friend who also birdwatches, there were a lot of shoveler and grey teal there my friend and I looked at the shovelers and saw 2 with a green head and whitish grey breast We did not get a good photo because our camera is not very good.

Wrybill

[Oscar Thomas]

Hi Wrybill, even a bad photo would be helpful if you are able to share one. There are Australasian shovelers that can look very similar to Northern shovelers in NZ (https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/260003671#_ga=2.236823557.52242555.1652258941-243761409.1627552746), just as you described. An important feature to note would be no white cresent on the face by the bill. But as there was an influx of Northerns back in 2018 (and still one present in Christchurch) it is more than possible that a few are lurking.

[Wrybill]

It looked quite like the photo but the head was slightly greener ill ask my friend if he got any photo's even if it is bad

[Alan Tennyson]

I had a look there today but only saw Australasian shovellers unfortunately.

[Wrybill]

No sorry He did not get any photo's