Lake Davis Ducks. Gadwall!

Van is acting up so I have to detour and see if it is major. This and that. On the way home, I scan Lake Davis for ducks in the continuing gloom (where is the Sunshine!?!) and see that most of the ducks are hanging out in the protected area to the North, staying out of the wind.

I step out of the van without my camera and within 10 seconds curse myself for knowing better. A new duck is out here and it is not what I was expecting at all. I hoped there would be some special find, but...a Gadwall!?!



Sure looks like a Gadwall. Granted, I have only just found my first one last year at Merritt Island but that kind of image tends to stick with you.



Steep forehead. White patch. Dark rump. Boring plumage. Yeah. Gadwall. Oh, I hate this overcast.



Here is the closest shot I have with one of the two (!) birds with a female Ring-necked Duck. Ring-necks are always the most obvious Winter ducks for us in Orlando.



I tried to get to the far side of the flock in hopes of the Gadwalls moving over in that direction when I noticed another new addition to the gathering ducks. A male Redhead!



He has joined the pair of females that have been around for a few weeks now.



He was busy feeding near the shore but was still a bit skittish if I even tried to advance closer.



I mentioned earlier that I finally had Blue-winged Teal on Lake Davis for the first time that I can remember a few weeks ago. There were 4 busily feeding near the shore near the Redhead trio.



Time to head back home to get ready for my trip to the Christmas Bird Count in the St. Pete area. A sudden splash alerted me to a Pied-billed Grebe digging into the muck to forage.



Florida currently is seeing a lot of Razorbill sightings on both coasts and maybe, just maybe, some of us can get them in the record books tomorrow. Looking like the local lakes could be just as interesting this year, too!