Ruddy Shelduck report from western Maryland
Rob Hilton (robert@csa.com)
Wed, 10 Feb 1999 10:54:07 -0500
Hi,
I know this bird is an escape, but escapes are interesting in their own
right. So, for anyone who is interested, here is a posting from the
Pennsylvania Birds mailing list.
Rob Hilton
robert@csa.com
Bethesda, MD
> Yesterday my wife and I were walking along the C&O Canal upstream
from
>Harper's Ferry at just downstream from C&O Canal mile-65, (US route #340 to
>just short of bridge into VA; left on state 180 to Sandy Hook Rd; Sandy
>Hook Rd to Back Rd; Back Rd to Boat Ramp parking area on Canal; just
>downstream from there).
>
> OK, on last Friday at the same place, there was a Muscovy. Not
unusual in
>Maryland but usually in a flock on a farm. Previously, in many trips at all
>seasons in that area, no Muscovys. Also, on Friday, lots of migrant ducks
>such as Mergansers, Buffleheads, Black and others.
>
> Then, yesterday, still the above including the Muscovy but a new one.
>Pitiful little fellow near the Muscovy, unafraid of us unlike all the
>others, cruising around on the river from the middle towards us.
> DESCRIPTION:
> Remember, I'm not a "real" birder but just enjoy birds as
part of all
>nature. Thus, my description is not very good. However, about the size of a
>Mallard; black backsides at rear including tail; buff-color on main body
>leading to similar but slightly lighter coloration on head; what looked
>like a black band on lower neck which may not have extended all around. It
>was constantly making small sounds like it was very unhappy and looking for
>something as it constantly moved around on the water.
>
> Used to seeing all kinds of hybridized mallards around here and
with a
>small flock of mallards within a few hundred yards, we passed it off as a
>very pretty but just another off-color mallard.
>
> When we arrived home and checked the Nat Geo. Soc Book, the closest
>version which my wife and I agreed on, was a RUDDY SHELDUCK.
>
> That, with the Muscovy, may indicate an escape or release of an
exotic
>bird,(s) from some unknown place but, for those interested, that's the story.
>
>Fred Schaff, Spring Grove, PA, USA, <flschaff@sun-link.com.
>
>"The Meek shall inherit the Earth. The Rest of Us will go to the Stars."
> John W. Campbell
> and/or
>The Meek shall inherit the Earth... but not the Mineral Rights.
> ...J. Paul Getty
>
>For PABIRDS archives visit <http://www.audubon.org/listserv/PABIRDS.html>.
>To leave PABIRDS, send a message (from the
>address you used to subscribe) to <LISTSERV@LIST.AUDUBON.ORG>
>and in the body of your message, put SIGNOFF PABIRDS
>
>