Hi Tweets;

This message was sent out Saturday, I think, but was caught up in cyberspace
for some reason, The Goldeneye was still there this morning (Mon.) and the
black wings
and tail were even more evident, with whiter patches forming as well

This morning on the Golden Gardens ponds were 46 American Wigeons and two
male Eurasian Wigeons along with an almost equal number of Mallards. There
was another flock of wigeons circling overhead, 50 or so, but I don't
think they could find a place to land. The pond was full, (100 or so ducks
on that small pond is a lot, plus geese and gulls, and Rock Doves on the
bank.) The lawn was full of kite flyers and sail boarders and the sound
was pretty choppy at an almost high tide. The flock followed the sound
north.

Earlier the week there were three female Common Mergansers at the
locks, and the odd looking Goldeneye is looking more and more like a male
Common Goldeneye molting into its standard plumage. Its head is still
brown, but the white spot is much better formed than it was earlier, the
shape is right for a common, as is the triangular-shaped black bill and
overall head shape. The wings were darker than they were when I first saw
it with the start of some white patches. The rest of the body is still a
mottled gray. Its eyes are bright yellow. It swims and dives in the
shallows right next to the wall on the south shore of the canal, offering
a great view of its underwater exploits.

Cliff Drake, wintering in
Ballard-Seattle, WA
mailto:cdrake at zipcon.net