Aytha americana

tags: birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird #1] Ring-necked Duck, Aythya collaris, photographed at the Hermann Park Conservancy, Houston, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours] Image: Joseph Kennedy, 18 November 2009 [larger view]. Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/640s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400. Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification. [NOTE: all IDs were made by the photographer; I don't agree with them, but I am reporting them. Of course, the links to the original images are broken now] Mystery bird #2…
tags: Redhead, Pochard, Raft Duck, Red-headed Raft Duck, Aytha americana, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Redhead, also known by a slew of other names, including Pochard, Raft Duck and Red-headed Raft Duck, Aytha americana, photographed in Hermann Park, Houston, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours] Image: Joseph Kennedy, 23 December 2009 [larger view]. Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/500s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400. Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification. Here's another image of a different…
tags: Redhead, Aytha americana, birds, nature, Image of the Day [Mystery bird] Male Redhead, Aytha americana, photographed at Hermann Park, Houston, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow] Image: Joseph Kennedy, 22 January 2008 [larger view]. Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/180s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400. Read an analysis for how to identify this species below the fold; Rick Wright, Managing Director of WINGS Birding Tours Worldwide, writes: Here's a puffy-headed Aythya with a uniformly reddish head -- a prominent feature that leads us directly to the…