Ah, thank you! A transitional phase would make sense.

Louise

On Sun, Feb 23, 2025 at 9:05 AM Patricia Taylor <pat.mary.taylor at gmail.com>
wrote:


> It's a young male common eider,

>

> Keith Taylor

> Victoria BC

>

> Sent from my iPad

>

> On Feb 23, 2025, at 8:46 AM, Louise via Tweeters <

> tweeters at u.washington.edu> wrote:

>

> 

> Does anyone have thoughts on this weird duck seen from the Reykjavik sea

> wall? Large duck, dark brown but for a white breast and a white eye stripe.

> One shot with a common eider for scale. Sometimes on its own, sometimes

> associating with the eiders.

>

> https://eelpi.dreamwidth.org/file/193930.png

>

> https://eelpi.dreamwidth.org/file/193626.png

>

> https://eelpi.dreamwidth.org/file/193355.png

>

> https://eelpi.dreamwidth.org/file/193161.png

>

> My first thought was some kind of hybrid? It reminds me of some of the

> domestic-type mallards in apearance, but I wouldn't expect to find a

> mallard on the ocean.

>

> All suggestions gratefully considered!

>

> Louise Rutter

> Kirkland

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>