(Duck) Sausage Fest

#13-20 - BlipBigYear 2014

What an astounding assemblage of ducks out at the Oxidation Ponds this morning. I can't say how long I tried to get a photo of every one of these birds looking up at the same time, but I will say I've never captured so many species in one frame before. Eight ducks altogether, eight new species for the year; a different duck for each buoy, and a couple on the water as well:

(13) Green-Winged Teal, Anas carolinensis (females and males)
(14) Northern Shoveler, Anas clypeata (male)
(15) Redhead, Aythya americana (male; a nice rare duck for the Ox Ponds)
(16) American Wigeon, Anas americana (male)
(17) Eurasian Wigeon, Anas penelope (male; another rarity)
(18) Ruddy Duck, Oxyura jamaicensis (male)
(19) Northern Pintail, Anas acuta (male)
(20) Gadwall, Anas strepera (male)

Three of these (REDH, EUWI, GADW) I've never even blipped before. Guess I can relax for a few days?

Other highlights: four species of gulls (Western, Glaucous-Winged, Mew, and Bonaparte's), Forster's Terns, Northern Harriers perched in the cattails, and a flappy Canvasback.