[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Black-chinned and Cinnamon teal



C'Birders:

It is Day 5 of the Cinnamon Teal on Medcalf Lake, Sunset Lakes, Sunset
Beach, Brunswick Co., NC.

It was a thick foggy AM.  Fortunately the teal was right next to my dock so
I didn't have to hunt for it and could get on with observing the 2 hummers
down the street.

Finally got a couple of looks at the chasee.  It snuck to one of the feeders
and actually got a couple of sips before the male Black-chinned chased it.
Then hid in a bush with its back towards me which was all green, his back,
not me.  Did not see tail well.
I believe it is a female - its throat was whitish as it fed on far side of
feeder.  I think it is pretty much the same size as the chaser.

 I got some more characteristics of the dominant bird which I have
illustrated on a drawing, (not here).  The black appears to be filling in
under the left eye on down to where the purple feathers start.  There is an
indistinct thick white band below the purple feathers.  There is nothing of
color under the right eye yet, and in fact the purple necklace ends also
before this side of face.  I mentioned before the two-toned darkish gray
front.  No white on tail.  It does do a lot of flicking of wings even when
it settles on a branch.  Its throat is stippled where the solid color hasn't
filled in.

My notes were done before I consulted my many field guides, including the
two new famous ones.  Susan had asked a couple of questions.  She will try
to get here to band it  sometime.  Lex Glover also said he would try next
week.  Please birds, stay put.

The back porch can be accessed easily from gate outside.  I did my
observations from various parts of the yard today.  I got very close to the
male in the bare willow shrub, but my camera couldn't do much with the foggy
conditions today.  And got a few maybe lighter but blurrier shots at the
feeder.  Sure could use someone with a great big lens, hint.

Good Birding,
Mary McDavit
osprey1@mindspring.com