Last Saturday I was scanning flocks of duck that had taken up in an ephemeral pond formed by flooding from a particularly nasty storm series. Among the many Green-winged Teal was an odd teal which had many features consistant with an eclipse male Baikal Teal (see details at:mystery teal details). If confirmed, this would be the third state record for Oregon and the first actually found alive (both previous records are from birds brought in by duck hunters).
A duck approximately matching this description was seen briefly by other observers the next day, but no one (myself included) has seen this bird well enough to collect a satisfactory suite of details acceptable for confirmation.
The conditions that produced the flooding have abated. The flock of teal that the mystery bird associates with have retreated to a difficult to access patch of slough sedge. There is another odd looking duck, almost certainly an abberant Green-wing muddying up the efforts, as well. Things have become complicated. It makes me wish I'd kept my mouth shut.
The good news is: if the bird is an eclipse Baikal Teal it will eventually molt into a nuptual plumage and there will be no doubt... assuming it sticks around.
Posted by mbalame at November 16, 2006 12:46 AM