December 11th 2006. Turner's Falls, MA. Barrow's Goldeneye. Bucephala islandica. Female (1). Ruddy Duck. Oxyura jamaicensis. (1) Mark Taylor, Hector Galbraith and I watched the female Barrow’s Goldeneye which remains on the power canal at Turner’s Falls, providing excellent opportunities for direct comparison with the numerous female Common Goldeneyes present. Evident this afternoon was the extremely distinctive head shape, larger size, darker brown head and darker rear end of the bird. The mostly orange bill stood out at all times. A Ruddy Duck was also resting with the Canada Geese this afternoon. Still no white-winged gulls either here or at the smallish gull roost at Barton Cove on an incredibly mild December afternoon. Further Barrow's Goldeneye images on this site; Female, Turner's Falls, MA, December 2005. Female, Hampton, NH Coast, January 2005. First-winter male, Rochester, NH, December 2004. Female, Hampton/Rye townline, NH coast, December 2003. Images taken through Canon Powershot A540 through Swarovski HD telescope. The female Barrow's Goldeneye is the bird on the right in the following three images.     Ruddy Duck resting amongst Canada Geese. |