The adult male TUFTED DUCK reported yesterday on Phantom Lake in Bellevue by
Hugh Jennings was seen this morning between 9am about 50 yards off the wooden
observation platform with an adult male Ring-necked Duck for nice comparison.
There were no fisherfolk out there on this pleasantly brisk frosty morning
which turned quite pleasant once the sun cleared the southern tree line.

For those who don't know, Phantom Lake is at the southeast end of the Lake
Hills Greenbelt in Bellevue (5 min off I-90) best accessed along 156th Ave SE,
the equivalent of a block south of the intersection 156th SE & SE 16th Street.
There is a small parking area (look for signs) there on the east side of
148th plus restrooms and a very short easy walk to a wooden observation platform
overlooking the lake. Initially when first detected on the far southern shore
at about 8:15, it was in the company of Buffleheads and a few Ring-neckeds but
distance, tree shadows, and the early morning steaming lake rendered it
pretty obvious as "not a Ring-necked and not a scaup" but just couldn't make out
the tuft at that fuzzy distance.

I'd be surprised if this Tufted Duck goes anywhere or away any time soon, but
if it really is not there at all (Phantom Lake), another place to look in
addition to the vast expanse of 'god only knows where' on Lake Sammamish
mentioned by Hugh might well be Larsen Lake, located a few blocks northwest of Phantom
Lake at the NW end of the Lake Hills Greenbelt which is visible from 148th SE
a block or two south of Main Street. Nice bird with a nice conspicuous tuft.
Good luck, have fun.

Richard Rowlett
Bellevue (Eastgate), WA