Comments on: Eurasian Wigeon at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge

By: Laura

Laura — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 21:57:58 +0000

I had never even heard of the American Widgeon lol.

By: Have Fun in the Sun on the Outer Banks of North Carolina

Have Fun in the Sun on the Outer Banks of North Carolina — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 22:50:04 +0000

[...] Eurasian Wigeon at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge | Birds, Words, & Websites [...]

By: A Weekend in Ithaca, NY | Birds, Words, & Websites

A Weekend in Ithaca, NY | Birds, Words, & Websites — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 17:02:41 +0000

[...] African elephants, conservation, education, blogs, and social media. It involved Great Horned Owls, Eurasian Wigeons, Common and Hooded Mergansers, Belted Kingfishers, howling coyotes, scurrying mice, and at least six [...]

By: Laura

Laura — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 12:32:14 +0000

Interesting to know, Pete.

One of the best things about social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and blogs is the ability to connect with birders all over the world and expand our perspective on the world’s birds. One may read this in a book or see it on TV, but it sticks much better when you travel there or hear it from a “friend.”

Thanks for writing.

By: Pete Mella

Pete Mella — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 09:37:22 +0000

Yeah, we have quite a few American species that are, as you say, “Commonly Rare”. American Wigeon is one of them, as is Pectoral Sandpiper, White-rumped Sandpiper, American Golden Plover, Green-winged Teal, Ring-necked Duck and Surf Scoter. They’ll cause a bit of local excitement, but probably wouldn’t get many the twitchers travelling from too far away.

Britain does OK for American vagrants in comparison to the rest of Europe, due its location.

By: Laura

Laura — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:58:14 +0000

@Courts, thanks, sweetie!

@Mike: Should be a great week for that. I heard my first of year Song Sparrow there today. Didn’t look for much else as I was in a hurry to get back home–you know how that is. Was great spotting that Great Horned Owl with you and the gang, and I hope to post some pix, even though they are less than stellar. It’s the company and the experience that counts!

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:12:13 +0000

I knew we should have blasted up to MNWR after Stewart Park on Saturday! I’m hoping to make a run up this week to check out what else migration is offering.
-Mike

By: Courtenay

Courtenay — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 21:09:43 +0000

one of my favorite waterfowl – congrats. laura!

By: Laura

Laura — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 20:48:48 +0000

BTW: The URL for that paper is:

http://www.jstor.org/pss/2844773

By: Laura

Laura — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 20:48:26 +0000

Thanks, Pete. Exchange is right.
Eurasian Widgeons over here are a commonly rare occurrence, if you will. That is, they don’t belong here but they do show up and experienced birders aren’t surprised by it.

I just found this 1984 article in Journal of Biogeography that states:

“There are many records of Palearctic breeding waterfowl wintering in the Nearctic, and vice-versa. This trans-hemispheric exchange has apparently increased in the past two or three decades. The most frequent Palearctic water-fowl species visiting the Nearctic is the Eurasian wigeon (Anas penelope L.). Records of this species in North America are examined for the period 1947-81. There has been a spectacular increase in wigeon records since 1966 in western North America. The Pacific flyway, used as a wintering area by Siberian breeding birds, now accounts for 90% of Christmas Bird Count records in American Birds. Atlantic flyway records, provided mainly by Icelandic breeding birds, have remained static or marginally declined. Analysis suggests that these changes are largely independent of variations in observer effort and recording locations. Other waterfowl show similar patterns. The evidence is strong that wigeon, along with other members of the Anatidae, are exhibiting a recent upward trend in the long-established interchange between the Nearctic and Palearctic. The causes of this trend are uncertain.”

Wonder which of our species are commonly rare over by you?

Laura