Outdoor Ontario

Photography => Ontario Birds => Topic started by: Bluffs Birder on March 09, 2014, 01:32:32 AM

Title: Barrow's Goldeneye - Washago
Post by: Bluffs Birder on March 09, 2014, 01:32:32 AM
The reported Barrow's Goldeneye did not fly in to the north end of Lake Couchiching until nearly 6:00 PM on Saturday.  It and the 300 or so Common Goldeneyes were landing and staying pretty much as far away from our vantage point as possible making any chance of a decent photo near impossible.  A good scope is your best option in-order to find this bird.  My thanks to the gentleman who spotted this beautiful duck for us.

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-4wL_o169kLs/Uxv-cdGwJlI/AAAAAAAAhzI/hF1l999uR2c/s400/0015.JPG)

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-xc_MRMDljOo/Uxv-TmDWY-I/AAAAAAAAhyw/UtRLNcg5wiU/s400/0011.JPG)

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hFYH9OW2Shk/Uxv-Q2s0yhI/AAAAAAAAhyo/HO2m51IJt1U/s400/0010.JPG)

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-wQazYGH1A1I/Uxv-FFjBpTI/AAAAAAAAhyQ/wZspdKeH1Ho/s400/0004.JPG)

Walter :)
Title: Re: Barrow's Goldeneye - Washago
Post by: Brian Bailey on March 09, 2014, 08:26:56 PM
You must be good at "Where's Waldo"!

Any time I've seen them, I've never had to search through more than a couple of dozen birds.  I remember being surprised that the best field mark for picking one out of a crowd was the black "spur" at the shoulder coming down to (or close to) the water level.  I had naively assumed, looking at my field guides, that I would be concentrating on the head.

BB
Title: Re: Barrow's Goldeneye - Washago
Post by: Rotarran on March 10, 2014, 01:34:59 PM
Nice pics Walter! You and I had very similar experiences.  I went on Friday though.

I agree it is a very beautiful duck.  It wasn't easy trying to spot it but the challenge made it fun.