Subject: C. Goldeneye in Ballard?
Date: Jul 12 14:36:57 1999
From: Cliff Drake - cdrake at zipcon.net


Today at the Locks I saw what appeared to be a single Common Goldeneye,
near the Commodore Park stairs. The shape of the head and bill (black)
and bright yellow eye made me think COGO, but the body was a dull brown
with no distinguishing marks, the head was a little bit browner. Would a
male in eclipse plumage be down here now? I don't know enough about
plumages to know if that's what it was or not. It wasn't diving or
dabbling, but swimming with its head and neck underwater very close to
shore, but since it was a -3.1 tide there may have been plenty of
tidbits exposed at the waterline so diving was unnecessary.

Cliff Drake
Ballard Seattle WA