Blue-winged Teal: White mask, blue wings

A pair of Blue-winged Teals   © SB

Long after I learned to identify Blue-winged Teals by the white half-mask across the male's face, I finally saw blue wing flashes on these prairie ducks.

The blue is visible when they fly — as long as you're at the right angle to see it...

It's also visible at times (but not, to me, often) when Blue-winged Teals float and feed in their preferred shallow, marshy ponds.

The first photograph above shows a clear sideview of a male's blue and green wing markings; the one below also shows the blue on a female's wing.

A pair of Blue-winged Teals, with blue wing flashes showing. © SB

What are these?  Blue-winged Teals

Location: Along Rte 99, near Craven, Saskatchewan, and near Yellowgrass, Saskatchewan.

Photo date: May 25, 2013, and June 16, 2012. 

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