Saturday 21 January 2017

American Wigeon @ The Gann

Saw this bird late afternoon, in exactly the place Brian describes below - on the east side of the bay below the red brick house at Musselwick with 11 Wigeon.  Having now seen it I am convinced it is a drake American Wigeon, need to do a bit more research to be sure if it is a 1st winter (the white on the forewing would suggest not) or an older bird retaining some eclipse feathers in the mantle, flanks & undertail.  The clinching features that I could see were the thick black line at the base of the upper mandible, tail projecting well beyond the wing tips, and noticeably larger headed with a steeper forehead and more rounded crown & nape.