Wednesday at Sodus Bay saw the usual (excellent) concentration of ducks.  
Highlights were 4 Surf Scoter (1 adult male) plus at least 3 female Common 
Goldeneye with entirely orange bills, essentially the same as the Irondequoit 
Bay bird.  Very poor gull numbers.  Roost flight at the Geneva waterfront found 
a good number of Canada Geese and ~1000 gulls roosting on the ice.  By the time 
I caught up with them they were too far out for good viewing.


I've put up my own photos of the I-Bay bird, plus a photo showing the two head 
shapes of Common Goldeneye (round and angular), and photos of 2 different 
female Barrow's that were at Brewerton, NY last winter.  The birds were easily 
separable, both because of small differences in plumage and because one bird 
was always seen with its neck outstretched and the other with its head tucked.  
None so far this year but there aren't any goldeneye there yet.  With the naked 
eye, under any good light, the bright yellow bill on the Barrow's roared out of 
the dull-billed goldeneye flock like a tiny sun.  


https://www.flickr.com/photos/krankykestrel/


David Wheeler
N. Syracuse, NY



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