| Common Name | Ruddy Duck |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Oxyura jamaicensis |
| Type of Report | Rare Species |
| Date of Observation | 01/02/2023 |
| Number Observed | 4 |
| Reporting Observer's Name | Avery Fish |
| Mailing Address | 1833 Antebellum Drive Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37128 United States Map It |
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| Date Completed | 10/17/2023 |
| Latitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | 44°02’04.02”N |
| Longitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | 73°25’18.5”W |
| Place Name | Chimney Point |
| Township | Addison |
| County | Addison |
| Vermont eBird Checklist URL | ebird.org |
| Time of Day | 08:00 AM |
| Length of Time Observed | Maybe a minute? This was a while ago so my memory is foggy, submitting this form at the direction of County reviewer. |
| Maximum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 7400 |
| Minimum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 3200 |
| Noteworthy Weather Conditions | Clear day, not too windy |
| Optical Equipment Used for Observation | Spotting scope, binoculars |
| Observer’s Previous Acquaintance With This or Similar Species | Seen multiple times in Vermont, including in the days prior to this observation at the same location. Seen many more RUDU outside of Vermont. |
| I certify that any attachments included with this report were captured during this observation event. | |
| Description of Habitat | Rafts of diving ducks out on the lake, dabblers around the lakeshore and ice edges. Eagles present and pushing all the ducks around. |
| Behaviors Observed | Flying. Possible flushed by an eagle. |
| Description of Vocalizations | N/A |
| Verbal Narrative & Description of Observation | Small, dark ducks seen in flight showing light cheek patches. I cannot remember what the sex of the birds were, but a male RUDU would have had a brighter cheek than a female BLSC, and a female RUDU shows a light cheek bisected by a dark line. |
| Relative Size & Shape | Tiny, compact diving duck. |
| Head | Lighter cheek, dark cap and nape. |
| Feet & Bill | Too far to see |
| Upper Back | Dark |
| Lower Back & Rump | Dark |
| Wings | Dark, uniform. |
| Breast, Belly, Flanks, Under Tail Coverts | Lighter belly, dark flanks. |
| Tail | Short, dark |
| IMPORTANT: What similar species were eliminated when making the identification and how was this bird different? | I already noted some differences between BLSC and RUDU above, but some others that should be ruled out are BUFF (smaller cheek patch, white patch on wings) and SUSC/WWSC (both have two white patches on the face) |
| Other Notes & Comments | Submitted from reviewer request. This species had been observed in the days prior, and in 13 checklists following thru till the 17th. |
| This report was written from notes taken: | Written from Memory |
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