Bathing Cinnamon Teal/Green-winged Teal hybrid

Though bathing is a common activity for waterfowl it can make for some interesting photographs.  I found this bird at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge at the end of May last year.

 

 Cinnamon Teal x Green-winged Teal Hybrid male

While I was processing some of the images I noticed the unusual crescent-shaped marking running through the eye to the back of the head that is typical of the Green-winged Teal.  I asked several very knowledgeable birders about this bird and they think this is a CT/GWT hybrid, which apparently is quite unusual. 

 

 

 Red eye looking at you through a layer of water

While bathing he would repeatedly dunk his head and shoulders under water  and then lift them up, which would roll water over its back and wings.  An interesting process to watch and photograph at such close range.   Here he’s looking at me through a layer of water over his head and eye as he brings his head out of the water. 

 

 

 Forcing water over the back  

Here’s the water on the back.

  

 

  Washing the back feathers

Then he would shake vigorously which would wash the back and upper wing feathers and send water droplets flying.  

 

 

Rearranging the wing feathers

After so much vigorous activity the feathers, particularly those in the wing, needed rearranging to put them in their proper places. 

 

 

 Preening after the bath 

Then came the preening.  Lots of it.  Here he is grooming individual breast/lower neck feathers. 

 

 

 After the bath

And here he is in all his glory after the bath.  Typically most of the wing colors are hidden in a relaxed pose like this.  This view gives another good look at the unusual pattern behind the eye. 

Ron