We don't see many ducks in Florida, in part because we bird mostly along the coast, but mostly because we arrive there after many ducks have departed to their breeding grounds by mid-April. The Blue-winged Teal departs later than most ducks, so we were able to see a number of them on the ponds at the Celery Fields, east of Sarasota. Here the male is resting in shallow water, viewed from the north viewing platform. Note the spatulate bill, a little shorter than that of the Cinnamon Teal, seen in the western U.S.
I was pleased that the bird decided to stretch, giving a view of the neck not normally seen when simply floating or dabbling, but rather seen during displays or in flight.
From the BNA account: "Blue-winged and Cinnamon teal, along with the 4 species of shovelers constitute the typical blue-winged ducks, subgenus Spatula."
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