Northern Shoveler at Bromley Oxidation Ponds

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Davidthomas
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Re: Northern Shoveler at Bromley Oxidation Ponds

Postby Davidthomas » Sun Apr 28, 2019 3:12 pm

Or either of the two that showed up on Ellesmere! He’s a good looking drake, although I suspect he’s in slightly eclipse plumage as he’s got more speckling in the breast than I’d have expected from a just finished moulting bird. And is overall looking a little scruffy.
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Adam C
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Re: Northern Shoveler at Bromley Oxidation Ponds

Postby Adam C » Sun Apr 28, 2019 4:20 pm

Yip David thats what Ive been looking for out there. Missed the sighting at Ellesmere and had a very uneducated hunch one of them might turn up here. Have been scanning the ponds regularly over the last few months but didn't actually expect it to turn up in front of me. When it did I could hardly believe it. Just goes to show if you look actively enough for something the results can be rewarding! We just need more eyes everywhere and who knows what might turn up!

Now just for that Canterbury Greenshank next year!
“Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.”

Samuel Ullman
andrewcrossland
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Re: Northern Shoveler at Bromley Oxidation Ponds

Postby andrewcrossland » Sun Apr 28, 2019 8:19 pm

sorry to put a spanner in the works guys, but I notice on ebird that quite a few people have listed the Northern Shoveler at Bromley in the last 3 days. hmm........ aside from the bird photographed by Adam C 2 days ago , which looks like a dead cert for a Northern Shoveler, has any of those observers actually also photographed the bird they saw and confirmed its ID?? Or has everyone counted a white-breasted Shoveler thats been sitting there as a Northern Shoveler without double-checking its ID for themselves?

There were 2 white-breasted drakes out there today. They associated together quite a bit. One looks just like a Northern shoveler when asleep and its head is tucked up, but when its active it is clearly a very pale NZ Shov with a wide eye crescent. This is him next to the other white-breasted drake:

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Now, the second on most angles looks like Adam's bird - Here's 2 pics:

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But, on closer examination.................................. on some angles it had a green head, and on others it had a bluish head, and..............
Last edited by andrewcrossland on Sun Apr 28, 2019 8:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
andrewcrossland
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Re: Northern Shoveler at Bromley Oxidation Ponds

Postby andrewcrossland » Sun Apr 28, 2019 8:30 pm

And, when I got a much closer look this bird was found to have a a partial faint crescent and quite a lot more dark specking than evident in Adam's pics. So here's the potential controversy - While I think its a bone fide Northern Shoveler (they can have these plumage features when going into eclipse), is it indeed Adam's bird simply photographed at much closer range or is it a different individual? Adam's bird (photographed 2 days ago and seen in exactly the same spot hanging out with a female NZ Shov just like this bird) appeared much cleaner in the breast and head - didn't it?).

Have all the folks who have twitched and ticked this bird seen these features and interrogated them, or have folks been ticking on blind faith?
Just a neutral question - not meant to criticise anyone, but there's some famous cases of blind-faith ticking of rarieties overseas eh..

Shov a1.JPG
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Davidthomas
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Re: Northern Shoveler at Bromley Oxidation Ponds

Postby Davidthomas » Sun Apr 28, 2019 8:46 pm

Your photos of the bird show the one I saw yesterday. Which as you say is a northern Shoveler drake moulting into eclipse. I think they’re one in the same as if you look closely at Adams shots they show a bird with a pale facial crescent in one, and certainly significant black speckling on the breast, i think they’re just a bit blown out due to harsh lighting.
andrewcrossland
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Re: Northern Shoveler at Bromley Oxidation Ponds

Postby andrewcrossland » Sun Apr 28, 2019 8:52 pm

Thanks David, yep, I think you're right, Adam's second pic in particular is a little over-exposed but I agree, a close look at it shows a hint of the crescent and a hint of the breast markings. cool.
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Adam C
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Re: Northern Shoveler at Bromley Oxidation Ponds

Postby Adam C » Sun Apr 28, 2019 10:41 pm

Hey all. Yes the bird I viewed on Friday was definitely between breeding and eclipse despite the crappy scope photos showing a white (over exposed) breast. The shots Vaughan got of it today on facebook, Bird Image Share show it well. Yes in my quest to pick up a Northern these white breasted Australasian Shoveler have had me going on a few occasions! Thats why I was looking really hard to make sure this one was legit. But you're right re others possibly ticking the White Breasted Australasians. Not that I've got anything against 'White Breasted Australasians' ;)
“Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.”

Samuel Ullman
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Adam C
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Re: Northern Shoveler at Bromley Oxidation Ponds

Postby Adam C » Wed May 01, 2019 3:29 pm

No sign of the Northern Shoveler this afternoon. Mind you hardly any shoveler full stop anywhere on the bromley ponds. One white breasted drake roosting on the posts and a couple of females was all I could find. There were a heap of shoveler on the estuary and nearby Avon River mouth/Bridge street area so quite possibly it was feeding with these birds and will be back. I'm also guessing there will be a major influx of birds starting this weekend with the opening of the Duck Shooting season so worth having a scout of the 'safe havens' over the next few weeks for any other duck vagrants. Surprised NZ has never had a Garganey turn up if we get the odd Northern Shoveler. Considering they have turned up in Australia and Northern Shoveler records seem scarcer there than they are here. A drake would be picked up pretty quickly but a female could easily slip through the defences for most of us that aren't looking. Just a thought! :)
“Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.”

Samuel Ullman
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TheBirderman
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Re: Northern Shoveler at Bromley Oxidation Ponds

Postby TheBirderman » Wed May 01, 2019 5:49 pm

Wandoona wrote:Or Invercargill last year

I agree, as it's likely this bird has been in NZ for some years now

Cheers
Clinton9
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Re: Northern Shoveler at Bromley Oxidation Ponds

Postby Clinton9 » Wed May 01, 2019 8:15 pm

Hope it migrate back to Asia.

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