| Virginia Society of Ornithology |
| Records Committee Report Form |
| Species. |
| Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis) |
| Date(s) and Time(s) of Observation. |
| August 10, 2002 |
| 7:35 AM |
| Location: County and Town. |
| City of Suffolk, VA |
| This location is off of "Town Point" which is located on the Nansemond River and is just south of Bennett's Creek. The Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks (BBWDs) were seen on the opposite side of the Nansemond River, scoped from an area south of Route 17 (or Bridge Road), near the Godwin Bridge. Click Below to view map of area: |
| http://www.clwillis.com/BirdingVA//images/townpoint%20copy.JPG |
| Length of Time Observed. |
| I observed these five (5) BBWDs with the Zeiss scope for about 5 minutes until they went around the point & away from my line of sight. I picked up my scope & hustled to an area near the Godwin Bridge but I could not relocate them. |
| Habitat. |
| The BBWDs were observed flying over the Nansemond River, which is a wide tidal river. There are marshes and mudflats along the area that the ducks were flying over. |
| Optical Equipment. |
| Scope: Zeiss Diascope 85mm w/ 20-60x zoom eyepiece mounted on a tripod which was set up on a stable, wooden deck. |
| Viewing Conditions. |
| Clear. Sun was behind me coming over my right shoulder as I viewed the birds about 1/2 to 3/4 mile away. |
| Description. |
| I observed a flock of five (5) imm. BBWDs exhibiting typical BBWD flight and field marks. |
| Field Marks. |
| White on upper wings (a narrow white strip on the greater coverts and it extended into a broader white strip terminating on the primary coverts - it did not extend to the primary tips), wings dark underneath, trailing legs, dark belly, dark tail. Apparently all juveniles - I could not see any pink on the bill or legs (both of which appeared to be dark) nor any marked contrast between head/chest/and/or belly. |
| Description of Behavior. |
| While scanning the river I caught a group of five (5) dark birds flying into view from the S/SW. At first I thought they were Glossy Ibis, then after watching them fly for a few seconds I realized they were whistling-ducks. I based this on the way they were flying: "kind of like cattle egrets but their formation disjointed, haphazard." After watching for another minute I noted "trailing legs, like geese with stilts". The way they were flying and at the distance I was viewing, they were dark silhouettes, and kept turning away from me to follow the opposite shoreline. "rounded wings - dark underneath". |
| I did
NOT hear them call - maybe due to the distance. After about 2 minutes they turned a little east, again to
follow the shoreline. This put the
upper wings in direct sunlight, clinching ID. "WOW - - - white
uppers!". I watched them
for maybe a minute more, observing the white upper wing and typical
"tree duck" flight. Then a
tree on my side of the river blocked them from sight. I jumped in my vehicle and raced over to
the other side of the point, but I was unable to relocate them. I spent several hours looking in areas I
thought they may have settled down to no avail. |
| Voice. |
| No vocalizations heard. |
| Previous experience with this or similar species. |
| I have seen many individuals and flocks of BBWD in Florida and Mexico. My last experience before this record was in Mexico (November 2001) where I studied hundreds of BBWD on Lake Guerrero in the state of Tamaulipas. (I have since seen them again in Mexico in December 2002.) I have seen many Fulvous Whistling-Ducks (Dendrocygna bicolor) including one individual in VA at ESNWR (11/21/93). I have seen free-flying Muscovy Ducks in Florida, Arizona, and Mexico. |
| What other field marks helped you eliminate other similar species? |
| The broad white patches on the dorsal side of the wings and dark belly color (also completely dark tail/rump) is remarkably different than Fulvous Whistling-duck. Muscovy Duck (MUDU) also has white on the wings but: 1) the white is visible on both the upperwings and lowerwings, and 2) the white is on MUDU's lesser coverts, or leading edge, of wings. The BBWDs did not exhibit either of these features plus MUDU does not show trailing legs in flight. |
| Other observers, if any. |
| None. |
| Did other observers agree on species identifications? In not, state specifically why. |
| N/A |
| Resources consulted for identification. |
| Sibley Field Guild to Birds |
| National Geographic Guide to Birds of North America |
| Attach photographs, field notes, and sketches, if any, and provide details of equipment used. |
| N/A |
| SIGNATURE: |
| Les Willis |
| DATE: April 8, 2004 |
Accepted on 1/6/05 as a Category 3 sighting.
