Hi Tweeters,

Andy Stepniewski and I birded a small section of Priest Rapids this
morning. Near the west end of the dam we found a first winter male
Tufted Duck in a large flock of scaup. It was my first Tufted Duck in
Yakima County! It seems to be the second Tufted Duck at Priest Rapids
in one week. Michael Hobbs found one there last Saturday. He
described his as having a full tuft, which would make it a mature
adult.

Other highlights included a Clark's Grebe and two Surf Scoters.

Here is our list from Priest Rapids:

Priest Rapids Lake (Yakima Co.), Yakima, US-WA
Comments: Southwest corner of Priest Rapids Lake only.
28 species

Cackling Goose 2
Canada Goose 100
Gadwall 10
Canvasback 2
Redhead 5
Ring-necked Duck 15
Tufted Duck 1 Male. Small tuft so possibly a different bird than
that observed by Michael Hobbs a week ago. Photo by Denny Granstrand.
Greater Scaup 2000
Lesser Scaup 560
Surf Scoter 2 Female plumage. Dark colored diving duck with faint
head spots. Faint orange in bills. Dark wings.
Bufflehead 10
Common Goldeneye 10
Red-breasted Merganser 3 Female plumage mergansers with rusty
neck. No sharp division between this area of rusty color and whitish
breast. Bill shape consistent with Red-breasted.
Ruddy Duck 3
Common Loon 2
Pied-billed Grebe 2
Horned Grebe 4
Western Grebe 10
Clark's Grebe 1 Western Grebe in general appearance. Orange bill.
Whitish around eye. Whitish flanks.
Double-crested Cormorant 20
Great Blue Heron 1
American Coot 200
Ring-billed Gull 2
Rock Pigeon 2
Black-billed Magpie 2
Common Raven 3
European Starling 3
House Finch 2

A photo of the Tufted Duck is in the new photos folder on my website.
The link is in the signature line.

Denny Granstrand

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Denny Granstrand
Yakima, WA
dgranstrand AT gmail.com
Denny Granstrand's bird photos can be seen at:
www.granstrand.net/gallery/