Blue-winged or Green-Winged Teal? October 14, 2021

Here is a quote about from my grandfather Dr. J. Murray Speirs’ Birds of Ontario (1985):

Green-winged Teal females at rest on the water are often indistinguishable from female Blue-wings. Both have a green “speculum” (a green marking on the wing which is not always shown).

This morning at Humber Bay, we saw this very small duck among a group of Mallards.

Blue-winged Teal (juvenile)

I’m calling it a Blue-winged because, in my experience, Green-winged are usually is shallow muddy water not deeper water as this was.

Blue-winged Teal (juvenile)
Blue-winged Teal (juvenile)
Blue-winged Teal (juvenile)
Blue-winged Teal (juvenile)
Blue-winged Teal (juvenile)
Blue-winged Teal (juvenile)

Other birds:

White-throated Sparrow
Mute Swan
White-throated Sparrow
Double-crested Cormorant (juvenile)
White-throated Sparrow
Mallard (female)
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal (female)
Double-crested Cormorants (juvenile)
Mallards
Ring-billed Gull
Mallard (male)
Red-winged Blackbird (male) and Common Grackle
Mallard (female)
Greta Egret
Wood Duck (male)
Great Blue Heron
Wood Duck (male)
Great Blue Heron
Wood Duck (male)
Belted Kingfisher (male)
Great Blue Heron
Belted Kingfisher (male)
Ring-billed Gull
Belted Kingfisher (male)
Gadwall (male)
Belted Kingfisher (male)

Bird Species list: red-necked grebe, mute swan, double-crested cormorant, great blue heron, great egret, Canada goose, mallard, gadwall, wood duck, American wigeon, blue-winged teal, hooded merganser, northern harrier, ring-billed gull, herring gull, belted kingfisher, eastern phoebe, black-capped chickadee, golden-crowned kinglet, yellow-rumped warbler, house sparrow, common grackle, red-winged blackbird, northern cardinal, American goldfinch, white-throated sparrow, song sparrow. (27 species)

Today’s group:

NATURE POETRY

O suns and skies and flowers of June,
Count all your boasts together,
Love loveth best of all the year
October’s bright blue weather.              – Helen Hunt Jackson (1830–85)

Miles Hearn

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