A couple of days ago I got a second hand report of a hybrid Northern Pintail x Mallard down at Totem Park. I did not find it while I was down there then, but while taking a short walk this evening, though I would check again. In the fading light, I was able to spot the bird mixed in with the 100+ dabbling ducks (mostly Mallards, but also several pintails and at least one Gadwall the other day) that have been hanging out on the shoreline in front of the Visitor Center. It’s a striking bird, with the color of a Mallard and more of the sleek lines of a pintail. There had been a report of one in Nakwasina back in December, but I have no way of knowing whether this is the same bird or not. I am hoping it will stick around a little longer, as it would be nice to get better pictures of it.
Update: I was able to get better pictures of the hybrid
What a handsome mix!
There were five small diving ducks on Heart Lake yesterday morning that I did not recognize. I couldn’t see them well enough to describe very accurately but they were the size of a bufflehead with a thin white crescent shape behind the eye and not much else I could distinguish.
Thanks for the comment – perhaps the ducks you saw were female Buffleheads? Female harlequins also have a bit of white behind the eye. Some other diving ducks have white in front of their eye.