Ornithology 3B Summary (Fall 2009)
If you miss a class, please check this page and study the listed topics in your field guide. For last year's
calendar, click here.
Class notes by Elisabeth Koster are here.
December 17
We reviewed of all the ducks from this semester covering pages 34-42. This was the last class
of the semester. We will resume 11 February 2010 with the scoters on page 44. See here for details.
I recommend Lisa Hug's CD on "Feather Watching." It can be ordered here.
December 10
We finished scaup and covered and reviewed eiders on page 42. Click here,
here and here
for discussion and photos of California's only Common Eider. Click here
for discussion and photos of a King Eider at Point Reyes.
Note: Article on Mitochondrial Eve is here.
December 3
We finished diving ducks in the genus Aythya on page 40. Click here
for a photo of an apparent Ring-necked Duck X Scaup sp. My photos of hybrid Ring-necked X Scaup sp. are here,
here and here.
Note: In class I inadvertantly referred to this bird as Ring-necked X Tufted Tufted. Discussion of
this hybrid is here. Click here
for photos and discussion of variation in Tufted Ducks. Click here,
here, here,
here, here
and here for my photos of Tufted Duck.
Click here, here
and here for more Tufted Duck photos. Click here
for photos and discussion of controversial scaup. Click here
for photos illustrating identification of male Greater and Lesser Scaup.
November 18 (Note: No class next week. We resume December 3rd)
We completed and reviewed the ducks on page 38. Click here
for photos of the two Common Pochards at Bolsa Chica which we discussed in class.
November 12
We will cover the ducks on page 36. My Blue-winged Teal photos are here,
here and here.
Click here for my photo of molting Cinnamon
Teal and a long discussion about molt in waterfowl. Claimed Garganeys from California are here
and here. Neither of these birds are actually Garganeys; both
are really Green-winged Teal, the first being probably a Eurasian race of Green-winged Teal. A photo of a real
Garganey is here.
Two of my photos of a male and one of a female Blue-winged Teal at Shollenberger Park - 7 April 2003 are here (Yahoo Northbay Birds
membership required).
November 5
We completed and reviewed the ducks on page 34. Click here
for a photo of an immature male Eurasian Wigeon in San Francisco. Click here
for my photo of an adult male Eurasian Wigeon in Orange County. An Eclipse male Eurasian Wigeon is here.
The transverse black patch above the folded wing on adult male Northern Pintails appears to be comprised of
lower scapulars. See photo here.