Hi all -
While enjoying looks at the Falcated Duck today, talk turned to how many previous records there have been south of Alaska ? I did some digging and here?s what I come up with:

This one is the 5th for Washington:
1979 [Naselle, Pacific Co.]
1993 [near Sequim, Clallam Co.],
2002 [Padilla Bay, Skagit Co.]
2005 [Padilla Bay, Skagit Co.] - possibly the 2002 bird returning?
& 2017 [Padilla Bay, Skagit Co.].

4 in Oregon, but all of them are from the same county [Lane, around Eugene], in consecutive winters [early 2004, 2005, 2006, and late 2006-7] - so maybe as few as 1 record?

2 in British Columbia [one in 1932, one in 1994, 95 & 96] ?

3 in California, but 2 of those returned for multiple years:
1. 1969,
2. 2002&2003,
3. 2011/12, 12/13, 14/15 winters

I believe alll of these have been of male Falcated Ducks, so someone should earn their stripes by finding the first record of a female some day?..


Here?s hoping this one sticks around, and/or returns for multiple winters like so many of the other records!

Matt Bartels
Seattle, WA