[obol] Wigeons of Unusual Ancestry

[Steve McDonald]

     For several days, there has been a small flock of Am. Wigeons in
the beaver pond along the bikepath causeway at Delta Ponds in Eugene.
Four of the eight drakes have golden crowns, just like those of Eurasian
Wigeons, instead of the normal creamy-white crowns.  They look like Am.
Wigeons otherwise, but their green face masks aren't as bright or long
in the rear, as normal.  There are a few odd-colored feathers on their
backs. Their cheeks are also darker and slightly reddish in color.
You can see a couple of photos of them on my Flickr album at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22121562@N00/

     The population of waterbirds has increased a lot in the last few
days at Delta Ponds.  About 50 Gadwalls and a dozen GW Teal have
appeared recently.  Yesterday, a Lesser Yellowlegs did a flyby at 5 pm.
At the north end of the ponds east of Goodpasture Island Rd., a curious
River Otter swam underwater to within 20 feet of me and reared up to
look me over, then dove before I could click my camera's shutter.  I did
get a couple of other shots of it, that are on my album.  There are some
much better Wood Duck photos that I put up last night.

Steve McDonald