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Hi all:
=20
A number of weeks back I had a mystery duck at Broad Cove. It was a rainy =
day and my initial impression was of a blue-winged teal. Upon closer inspe=
ction through the scope I decided that my id was wrong. The duck bothered =
me as it was smaller than an American black duck nearby=2C but not by a who=
le lot. So I ruled out teal. I'm now thinking maybe a female northern pin=
tail. It was a light brown/tawny color with a black bill. The body shape =
definitely was distinctive of a pintail. The part that bothers me about th=
e id is that the wings folded over the back were jet black. Not the whole =
wing=2C but about three or four inches of the wing ends. I've ruled out ga=
dwall as the tail would have been black. If this is a feature on a femal=
e pintail=2C I've never noticed it before=2C the books do not really show t=
hat as an id. Maybe it was a juvenile bird. Paul MacDonald=2C I know has =
had a lot of experience with ducks and if you read this Paul I would really=
appreciate your opinion. Of course anyone else with knowledge along those=
lines=2C I also would appreciate your thoughts and thank you in advance. =
I tried to get photos=2C but admittedly failed. =20
=20
The other bird that I saw that I will mention was what I would discribe as =
a crow with a short tail=2C that was the size of a blue jay. This bird I o=
bserved on Saturday. I was rushing home for a dinner engagement and did no=
t wish to be late for it. As I came to a stop in Bridgewater at the light =
by the Bridgewater Tim Hortons=2C at the East Side Plaza=2C this bird came =
gliding across in front of me. At first I thought it was just an American =
crow=2C but I took a second take and realized that it was only blue jay siz=
e. The distance was maybe ten feet in front of me when the bird went by. =
It landed upon the roof of the Tim Hortons on the edge. It appeared as ver=
y small and blue jay size at that angle as well. When it hopped down off t=
he edge onto the roof itself=2C it was so tiny that I could no longer see i=
t. I'm sorry that I did not have time to pull in and view it better. I've=
since tried to relocate this bird=2C but have not been successful. Unless=
I can relocate it and get photos or someone else happens to see it we will=
leave it as an unknown. =20
=20
James R. Hirtle
Bridgewater
=
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<FONT size=3D3>Hi all:</FONT><BR>
<FONT size=3D3></FONT> =3B<BR>
<FONT size=3D3>A number of weeks back I had a mystery duck at Broad Cove.&n=
bsp=3B It was a rainy day and my initial impression was of a blue-winged te=
al. =3B Upon closer inspection through the scope I decided that my id w=
as wrong. =3B The duck bothered me as it was smaller than an American b=
lack duck nearby=2C but not by a whole lot. =3B So I ruled out teal.&nb=
sp=3B I'm now thinking maybe a female northern pintail. =3B It was a li=
ght brown/tawny color with a black bill. =3B The body shape definitely =
was distinctive of a pintail. =3B The part that bothers me about the id=
 =3Bis that the wings folded over the back were jet black. =3B Not =
the whole wing=2C but about three or four inches of the wing ends. =3B =
I've ruled out gadwall as the tail would have been black. =3B =3B&n=
bsp=3B If this is a feature on a female pintail=2C I've never noticed it be=
fore=2C the books do not really show that as an id. =3B Maybe it was a =
juvenile bird. =3B Paul MacDonald=2C I know has had a lot of experience=
with ducks and if you read this Paul I would really appreciate your opinio=
n. =3B Of course anyone else with knowledge along those lines=2C I also=
would appreciate your thoughts and thank you in advance. =3B I tried t=
o get photos=2C but admittedly failed. =3B </FONT><BR>
 =3B<BR>
<FONT size=3D3>The other bird that I saw that I will mention was what I wou=
ld discribe as a crow with a short tail=2C that was the size of a blue jay.=
 =3B =3BThis bird I observed on Saturday. =3B I was rushing hom=
e for a dinner engagement and did not wish to be late for it. =3B As I&=
nbsp=3Bcame to a stop in Bridgewater at the light by the Bridgewater Tim Ho=
rtons=2C at the East Side Plaza=2C this bird came gliding across in front o=
f me. =3B At first I thought it was just an American crow=2C but I took=
a second take and realized that it was only blue jay size. =3B The&nbs=
p=3Bdistance was maybe ten feet in front of me when the bird went by. =
=3B It landed upon the roof of the Tim =3BHortons on the edge. =3B&=
nbsp=3BIt appeared as very small and blue jay size at that angle as well.&n=
bsp=3B When it hopped down =3Boff the edge onto =3Bthe roof itself=
=2C it was so =3Btiny that I could no longer see it. =3B I'm sorry =
that I did not have time to pull in and view it better. =3B I've since =
tried to relocate this bird=2C but have not been successful. =3B =
=3BUnless I can relocate it and get photos or someone else happens to see i=
t we will leave it as an unknown. =3B </FONT> =3B<BR>
 =3B<BR>
<FONT style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt" size=3D3>James R. Hirtle</FONT><BR>
<FONT style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt" size=3D3>Bridgewater<BR><BR></FONT> =
</div></body>
</html>=
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