hello tweeties,

the mystery bird from 2 days ago was, as you all correctly identified, a Wood Duck, Aix sponsa;

http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2008/10/todays_mystery_bird_for_you_to_23.php

If you refer back to Rick's analysis and reader comments, you'll discover some valuable hints for distinguishing this species from the closely related mandarin duck, Aix galericulata. Further, for those of you who are working on your holiday gifts list, there is a very interesting book cited in Rick's analysis that you might wish to add to your collection.

today's mystery bird, courtesy of photographer Richard Ditch, is the first of a series of more challenging birds, so read some of Rick's analyses to refresh your memory for approaching bird identifications and then, using that information, spend a little time with several field guides (I'm very curious to know which field guides you referred to when you ID the bird in reader comments);

http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2008/10/todays_mystery_bird_for_you_to_39.php

If any of you have a mystery bird that you'd like to share with a large and appreciative audience, feel free to contact me. Also, feel free to share this message with interested others.

cheers,

GrrlScientist
Devorah
http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/
Roosting high up a tree somewhere in Central Park, NYC



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