Birders, I have just located what may be a Tufted Duck on the Toronto Islands. I say possible because it has a very short tuft and I can't rule out a scaup x Tufted Duck hybrid.
It looks like a Tufted Duck in all respects but the tuft: black back feathers, bright white sides. The tuft is very similar in size and shape to the bird shown in the recent Point Pelee 2013 bird report (which was considered a hybrid). The bird is with a large flock of Greater Scaup near the Hanlan's Point ferry terminal. FYI, this is about a 5 km walk one way (10 km round trip) from the Wards Island ferry terminal. Follow the road west from the ferry, past the water treatment plant and continue until you're in line with the airport fence. There will be a set of washrooms on the right (in an area of construction right now). The birds are in a patch of open water behind the washrooms. The duck in question has been feeding very close to shore in the most southwestern corner of the open water. I don't have a camera, so if someone wants to make the walk to photograph this bird, please do so!! Good Birding, Gavin Platt Toronto, ON _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup
