I stopped at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge over the
weekend to see how the waterfowl migration was commencing. I
discovered hundreds, maybe over a thousand, Greater White-
fronted Geese and hundreds of Northern Shovelers (Anas
clypeada), Northern Pintails and Gadwalls, with a smattering of
Mallards, American Wigeon and Cinnamon Teal. Of course these
dabbling ducks are all in non-breeding plumage and brought their
young ones along with them making them a bit tougher to
identify. The Northern Pintails in the photo above can be
identified by their blue-gray striped bills and the juvenile
male Northern Shoveler in the lower right hand corner by his
wide spatulate bill and yellowish-brown iris on its way to the
bright yellow color of the adult drake. The female Northern
Shoveler is recognized by her spatulate bill as well. This is a
photo from last weekend in her non-breeding plumage. This is
what she will look like in February, in breeding plumage, at
which time she will surely have paired up with a drak