I've heard that a Ring-necked Duck has been a semi-regular here this winter but today was my first lucky day finding him - a lifer for me! He was actually swimming with a female and they very graciously came quite close to shore for me, so I enjoyed a nice long look. I first spotted them around noon, swimming with a small group of scaup, just North of the memorial and East of the little bridge. They continued out to the opening of the channel, then flew back into that first little bay with the weird bright green raft.
Of other interest, I counted 42 Ruddy Ducks in the usual spot (north of the memorial) and noticed that one of the males is now showing his red breeding plumage. The two Black-crowned night herons that spent the winter are still lurking in the trees. There was a lone female White-winged Scoter in the same bay as the Ring-necks. The resident Pintail was nowhere to be seen.
What a gorgeous day for birding!!
