Dennis,
Thanks for the reply. Sure, the Geo guide. My question about the plumage
was some reasonable uncertainty based on a very long viewing distance.
There is also the question of just what month/degree of plumage change the
immature male in the Geo guide represents, which is very similar to some
males I have photographed at least a month later in the winter. September
eclipse males (or perhaps males of the year) appearing in Washington appear
quite similar to rufous-morph females. The text of Madge and Burn's
Waterfowl paints a more complete picture of plumage changes than the Geo
guide.

----- Original Message -----
From: Dennis K Rockwell <denniskrockwell at juno.com>
To: <ixoreus at home.com>
Sent: Monday, November 29, 1999 4:12 PM
Subject: Re: Green River Natural Resources Area (a.k.a Kent Ponds) 11/28


> On Mon, 29 Nov 1999 12:05:00 -0800 "Robert Sundstrom" <ixoreus at home.com>
> writes:
>
> >SNIP<
> >there were three Eurasian Wigeons, two in adult male plumage and one
> rufous-morph female (or is it perhaps 1st >winter male?) plumage.
> >SNIP<
>
> Bob,
>
> How good a look did you get at these EURASIAN WIGEONS?
>
> Do you have the "National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North
> America"? The illustrations on page 81 demonstrate that the difference
> between "rufous morph" female and 1st winter male EURASIAN WIGEON is
> actually quite distinct. Having seen both myself, I can testify that the
> difference is even more distinct with living birds than in these
> illustrations.
>
> Dennis K Rockwell Kennewick, Washington
> denniskrockwell at juno.com
>
> ___________________________________________________________________
> Get the Internet just the way you want it.
> Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month!
> Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.