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Dabbling Ducks in March 2020



Shoveler - Mestolone (Spatula clypeata) 
Garganey - Marzaiola (Spatula querquerdula)
Teal - Alzavola (Anas crecca)
Mallard - Germano reale (Anas platyrhynchos)

... and a "find the intruder" test: answer to the picture without id.

Northern Shoveler, Mestolone
Northern Shoveler (male) - Maschio di Mestolone.
Querciola Pond, Parco della Piana, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, March 2020
In early march it's possible to observe several species of dabbling ducks in Tuscany. They are surface feeding small to large sized ducks in ponds and shallow water lakes, and in rivers too.
Most of them are migratory species, but it's possible that many specimens have both sedentary and migratory habits. Nevertheless in march arrive the garganeys from the South (explaining the vulgar Italian name of 'marzaiola') and most of the teals, as winter visitors, are now preparing to leave towards the North Europe. There are many Shovelers in this period.

Tuscany, Florence, Firenze
Garganeys, Teals, Shovelers and Mallard - Marzaiole, Alzavole, Mestoloni e Germano reale.
Querciola Pond, Parco della Piana, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, March 2020

Sesto, Tuscany, Querciola pond
Teal, female - Femmina di Alzavola.
Querciola Pond, Parco della Piana, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, March 2020
Teal, male - Maschio di Alzavola.
Querciola Pond, Parco della Piana, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, March 2020

Early signs of spring
Querciola Pond, Parco della Piana, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, March 2020
Shovelers (two males and a female) - Mestoloni (due maschi e una femmina)
Querciola Pond, Parco della Piana, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, March 2020
Garganey (male) just arrived from the South - Maschio di Marzaiola, appena arrivato da Sud.
Querciola Pond, Parco della Piana, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, March 2020

Garganey, between two Shovelers. Marzaiola tra due Mestoloni
Querciola Pond, Parco della Piana, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, March 2020

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Querciola Pond, Parco della Piana, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, March 2020

Mallard, male - Germano reale, maschio.
Querciola Pond, Parco della Piana, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, March 2020
Teal - Alzavola
Querciola Pond, Parco della Piana, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, March 2020
Shoveler - Mestolone
Querciola Pond, Parco della Piana, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, March 2020

Comments

  1. Peppola, maybe coming back from Bergamasca

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. nice shot simona, a male of peppola - brambling. There have been a lot this winter

      Delete
  2. See other songbirds in the Piana area: https://bixgeflorence.blogspot.com/2018/02/songbirds-of-florence-area-tuscany.html?m=1

    ReplyDelete

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