Common Goldeneye

Birding forums were blasting the fact that an uncommon bird was being seen up in Seminole County but I was still in St, Pete. Hopefully it would stick around a bit for me to take a look. I have seen Common Goldeneyes before but maybe I could get a better photo than than the few I got years ago.

Fortunately, the bird did stick around. Unfortunately, the day was really foggy. Just my luck. When I first got out to the pond the bird was quickly found but way out in the middle of the water.



I checked the other ponds in the area but didn't see too much. I almost headed home but changed my mind and went back to the first pond. This time the Goldeneye was close to shore feeding with the other ducks like Lesser Scaup.



I got a few more shots but was cursing the fog.



Still, they were better shots and that was my main reason to go out so I can't complain too much. As soon as I got home the fog clear. Of course.

Almost back home and the full Sun gave me a good view of a pair of Red-tailed Hawks that were wondering if they could get the last remains of a squirrel without getting hit by a car themselves.



One more quick lake check and then I am done.

Common Goldeneye

Twitch!

I was winding down my work for the day when I saw a post from a fellow birder reporting a great bird just located in closer to the Disney area. I figured I could beat the traffic so off to find it. It was reported in a small retention pond along with a Lesser Scaup. When I got there, I saw the Lesser Scaup right away. No sign of the other bird.



Then I noticed a ripple behind a drain cover so I headed in that direction. Soon I was staring at a Common Goldeneye!



Though 'common' in other areas, these birds are a rare treat for us in Florida.

With that bird in the 'bag' I headed nearby to check again on the Buffleheads where they were earlier. A few females were still in the other pond.



A couple of great birds to see before heading home on a Thursday. Saturday, I head off to band Sparrows again on the west coast.

Goldeneyes

There are two types of Goldeneyes in abundance in the Northwest. The first, Common Goldeneye, I had a chance to see in Apopka in the Fall of 2005 in the form of a female that had wandered over to a retention pond to feed with some Hooded Mergansers. Many fellow birders were quite thrilled for this sudden, unexpected arrival. She stuck around for a month or so.

The second, Barrow's Goldeneye, were completely new to me. Only wish I could have gotten better shots than I did. Most were from very far away or from fast moving boats.

Here, a female Common Goldeneye floats on the waves.



I took the trip to the west to find the male Common Goldeneyes. We found many pairs throughout the Seattle area.



The first Barrow's were found from the boat trip we took around Bainbridge Island.



You can notice the more crescent-shaped white patch on the males of the Barrow's. Females of both species are nearly identical.



The best look I had of a pair were these two swimming in the calm waters around the boats docked at the John Wayne Marina.



Very pretty ducks. Hope I can find some on a nice calm lake some day.