Yes, really. There are three white-faced whistling ducks at Juanita Bay
Park - when I saw them this afternoon from about 3:30-4:00, they were near
the western-most boardwalk, then headed over to near the middle boardwalk.
They were staying away from people, and not particularly acting like "park
ducks", although you never know. This is so far out of their range (South
America and southern Africa) that it's hard to believe they could be here.
They're pretty spectacular, so it's worth a look, regardless. I'm very
proud of myself for thinking "those look like whistling ducks" in spite of
the fact that I've never seen one - not for lack of trying. Not so great is
that I was paying too much attention to the birds and dropped my Natl. Geo
Guide into the wetland!!

Description (I found a picture in the Costa Rica guide when I got home, but
it doesn't really do them justice):

Bright white face with dark eye
Back of head black
Deep cinnamon-colored neck (front and back)
Dark bill with a ring on the tip
Black butt, belly, and chest, rising to a point just below the neck
Barred grey along the sides
Light brown feathers along the upper back and scapulars
Black primaries and underwings
Couldn't see the feet

Adding to the interest was what everyone else was looking at (non-birders) -
a great blue heron standing in a weird posture I have not seen before -
upper wings sticking straight out to the sides, "elbows" bent, lower wings
angled toward its feet, primaries spread out between wing bones and the
body, chest and chest plumes thrust out, head resting on chest. Strange.
You could see little chestnut feathers at the "elbows". It did this the
whole time I was there - at least a half hour.

You never know what you will find at Juanita. I only wish there had been
more birders around to share it with - mostly people walking their dogs (all
on leashes - people seem pretty polite there).

Teresa Michelsen
Kenmore, WA