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Common Merganser and Goldeneyes!



Dwayne and I took advantage of this beautiful morning to check the lakes for
ducks.  Since our temperature has been below freezing for several days, we
figured most of the ponds around here would be frozen and there would be
more ducks on the lakes---and we were RIGHT!  We were joined at Oxford
Access on Lake Hickory by our good friend, Jo Ann Spees and got off to a
great start!  We had a huge formation of Mallards fly over before Jo Ann
arrived and picked out several Black Ducks, 5 Green-winged Teal, and a male
Shoveler.  There was a Cooper's Hawk devouring either a crow or a coot along
the adjacent bank, while three Hooded Mergansers flew right past us and into
a cove which allowed for nice, easy viewing.  Further out, we saw what could
only have been the female Common Merganser that Dwayne found yesterday with
some Buffleheads----but I needed a much better look since it was a life bird
for me!!!  There were also tons of Gulls and another flotilla of Hooded
Mergansers toward the marina across the way.

Since we felt the bird we had seen was THE bird, we made a pitstop down Lake
Vista Drive which is on the way to Dusty Ridge Access in Alexander County.
We hit paydirt!  It was actively preening and feeding under a flock of
Bonaparte's Gulls just as it did last evening!  The white collar around the
neck is VERY obvious, and I wonder how I thought I'd ever get them mixed up
with a Red-breasted!  Her head seemed to be differently shaped and her bill
even seemed to be more orange than that of the Red-breasteds I've seen.
Maybe it was my imagination?  While looking at her (and trespassing just a
little for a better view---I know, we're bad!) we noticed four small
Buffleheads floating in beside her with their heads tucked in.  Dwayne put
the scope on them and declared that only one of the four was a
Bufflehead---a male.  What are the other's we asked?  THREE Common
Goldeneyes!!!!!  There were two females and a male!  We couldn't believe it!
A Common Merganser and three Goldeneyes in the same scope view----on Lake
Hickory!  We waited around for nearly forty-five minutes until they finally
untucked their heads and we could see them in all their glory!  That male
was one of the most beautiful sites I've ever seen!

The other accesses didn't hold much else besides gulls, although we did have
a female Merlin buzz a couple hundred gulls at Rhodhiss dam which was also
very exciting.  We checked back this evening and found the three Goldeneyes
at Dusty Ridge Access, but could not find the Merganser.  We'll check back
in the morning and let everyone know!

*************************
Dwayne & Lori Martin
Foothills Bird Club
Claremont, NC
dlmartin@twave.net