Out On the Wing #92: The Trouble with Shovelers

While I was on my way to Parker River on Monday, I paid a visit to Heard's Pond in Wayland, MA. Other than the gulls and solitary Mute Swan (Cygnus olor), what caught my eye initially was a female Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) swimming in the unfrozen section of the pond. My eye was then drawn to the left with a large flock of Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) and some mingling American Black Ducks (A. rubripes). But near those birds was a duck I was surprised to see. What appeared to be a female Northern Shoveler (A. clypeata) has been causing me confusion ever since.




After consulting Sibley, Nat Geo, and online sources, I'm fairly convinced that it is either female or an immature bird. Only fairly convinced however...

There's part of me that wonders if it could be a hybrid too. But that seems a stretch. If anyone has a clue about what it might be, please comment below.

Update: After emailing a former colleague of mine, he's confirmed to me that this is a hatch year drake Northern Shoveler. The dark gray head, rufous yet mottled sides, and black and white wingtips indicate HY drake. An interesting find indeed.

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