Blue-Winged Teal
Anas discors
"These tiny ducks are among
the earliest fall migrants to reach Texas ... some will remain
in Texas through the winter ... Reluctant to return again until
the waters have warmed, they may linger here into late April
or early May. A few have even remained to breed ... particularly
within the northern half ... As the male blue-wing molts his
body feathers again to breeding plumage, he gets a blue-gray
head with a broad white crescent before the eye. In that plumage
he is unmistakeable."
Photo taken with a Nikon D80 using
a Nikon 300mm f/2.8 manual focus lens.
April 15, 2007