There are a number of reasons why I decided to take on this project. My first reason has to do with my interest in birds. This began shortly after moving to Victoria ten and a half years ago. With our house backing onto a wooded area, the chirping of birds is a familiar sound all year long. I often glance out the window to see birds of all forms in the yard throughout the day. Frequently I will pull out the Birds of Victoria or Birds of North America reference guides we have on hand. Unfortunately, the drawings in the first aren’t overly helpful for identification and the number of entries in the second is overwhelming. My second reason has to do with a photography course I took a number of years ago. Since that time I have been trying to think of a practical reason to buy a new camera. Taking pictures of birds requires a powerful zoom lens which my previous point-and-shoot camera could not accommodate. Perfect! My final reason was my desire to take on a new project to welcome in 2011. Hence, bird of the day was born.



Thursday, March 17, 2011

Hybrid Ducks

Ducks hybridise readily, both in captivity and in the wild. Sometimes wild ducks even crossbreed with escaped domestic ducks. Identifying hybrids is challenging because of the wide variations in colour and markings. Here are a few hybrid ducks I photographed in Beacon Hill Park. Each of them appears to be a cross between a Mallard and a different species. 

 





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