The Ferruginous Duck present at Barton Oct-Nov 2011 was identified as a first winter drake due to a few features noted with the photos at the time. I picked it up again on the 14th in dull and damp weather when it looked rather brown and with a flat crown showing most of the time as it was diving almost constantly. I had concerns over the head shape and bill pattern plus the darkness of the plumage albeit with the bird still being in eclipse plumage. On the 15th in nice sun it looked a lot better and the extent of the black on the nail, the bill shape and size, head profile with nice raised high crown, the chestnut tones apparent on the crown sides, general size and shape compared to Tufted and Pochard plus the other expected features seem to confirm that it is a genuine drake Ferruginous Duck in eclipse plumage.
http://pewit.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/ayt ... -duck.html