Tweeterites -- did I see what I thought I saw? Friday morning at
Nisqually, in the now marshy area just as you head out the road to
McAllister Creek, looking south, saw a pair of ducks that I id'd as
Northern Shovelers. There was a brightly colored bird and a nondescript
brownish bird with it. The bright bird had a green head, but unlike the
male Mallard had a very definite burnt orange swath of color on its
flanks, with white fore and aft. Couldn't make out the bills against the
gray-brown background of decaying grasses. This pair was separate from
large flocks of Wigeons and Mallards nearby. On getting home and taking
a closer look at my Nat'l Geographic guide I noted Northern Shovelers
should only be in Washington State in summer, not in winter. Would
appreciate some help on this one. Did I really see Northern Shovelers?
Has anyone else seen them at Nisqually this time of year? Is the field
guide a little off, as one hears they are? Or do I need to write a
hundred times: "Hey, dumby, you are looking at a Mallard"?

Thanks in advance, and good birding!

Bill Ward
Lacey WA
wward at cco.net