On a weekend that is, at least around here, cold, gray, and dreary, it’s entirely possible that not everyone is exercising their avian observation muscles to the fullest. Here’s a waterfowl workout for you weekend warriors… aficionados from either side of the Atlantic can and should play along:
Easy, right? I’m sure you don’t need it, but here’s another view. Gods save you if you actually get this right!
Mike is a leading authority in the field of standardized test preparation, but he's also a traveler who fully expects to see every bird in the world. Besides founding 10,000 Birds in 2003, Mike has also created a number of other entertaining but now extirpated nature blog resources, particularly the Nature Blog Network and I and the Bird.
I vote female Northern Pintail. Great photos!
Yep, I’m with Laura.
Do we have any dissenting opinions?
Unlike some of your contributers, you’ve given us enough to go on for this bird. : )
Long wings and nice arrowhead pattern. I’ll say White-cheeked Pintail.
Nope, just kidding, I’ll go along with the crowd. Northern Pintail.
Man, you three are good!
i would guess canada goose
Yep, that is a tough one. Not to be disrespectful, but I have more experience than all of you. I can see how you could interpret the feather design to be that of a pintail, but this bird is acyually a rare type of white-breasted northern woodpecker. It is an albino, this explains the white-tan tint to the feathers, and the reason that it is in the water: it is feeding off of chemical nutrients from the bottom to control it’s lack of pigments. This is a once in a lifetime bird, congratulations! For the beginners above me, keep trying to improve your knowledge, one day you might be experts.