Bad molt days (birds)

As a novice birder, I find that I’m getting tripped up a bit by waterfowl molting. I’m thinking, ‘Wow! What’s that?’ :: CLICK:: Followed by, ‘Oh.’

Still, it’s one way to keep observing common local birdlife so as to sort of build up a little collection of variations. And sometimes they really surprise you.

Has anyone else here been fooled by molting? Care to share some favourite ‘bad molt day’ shots?

Oh, and I was considering including other stuff like insects and such, but then this thread would never, ever end.

This juvenile cardinal still needs some time before he looks as elegant as his dear ol’ dad. Oof, bad molt day!


Observation here

These are pretty cool! I wonder how the other birds see it…