Common Wild Ducks of South-Central Texas
Presented by Patsy & Tom Inglet, Bexar Audubon Society
Come learn the absolute key points that you need to know to identify the most common ducks to be seen in Central Texas, mainly during the winter months: shape and color patterns. Follow the three rules for sorting out the different species, which often swim around in Central Texas lakes and rivers together:
Identify one bird at a time.
Identify that one bird to a broad category (waterfowl can be divided into eight basic categories), then narrow it down to a smaller group.
Look for multiple clues—at least three characteristics.
Before long you will be separating the domestics from the wild and the ducks from the “not ducks”—the swans, geese, loons, grebes, coots, gulls, and other swimming birds. It’s really not difficult; it just takes a little focus. And that’s what we’ll do for about 1.5 hours or so.
So come dabble with us a while as we dive into duck identification.
Those who attend the Workshop will be invited to participate in a Waterbird Field Trip to Mitchell Lake Audubon Center (MLAC) on Saturday, November 12, from 9am to Noon. Admission tto MLAC is FREE for MLAC members or $5 for non-members. Exact change appreciated. Please sign up to attend the Field Trip on the BAS website under Outings.
We will be using spotting scopes to bring even distant ducks up closer. This will give us all a good chance to practice what we learned in the workshop by experiencing ducks in the field – or in the water, as the case might be. We will also look at other water birds that hang out at MLAC in the winter.
