avocet wrote:
>
> 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


WHERE IS JUANITA BAY PARK?