February Goldeneyes
February 28th, 2010
The Rideau continues to support good numbers of Common Goldeneye, and, as with the neighboring Mallards, courtship is in full swing.
The juvenile male, second from the left, is doing a classic goldeneye showoff for the ladies: neck arched back, feet simultaneously kicking at the water.
Note the two oddballs in this picture: The male about 3/5 of the way to the right, with the dollop-shaped (instead of round) cheek patch and the spotted shoulder stripe, is a Barrow's Goldeneye--a rare species in the east, but one which winters in Ottawa each year in very small numbers (1-4). The redheaded duck in the upper left is a Common Merganser.
Eventually the females get interested, at which point they start doing the funky head motions too :-)
The wintering goldeneyes are easy to find, if you ever want to watch these fascinating ducks for yourself. Take a bus or drive to where Rideau Street crosses the river (Cummings Bridge), then walk south--preferably with binoculars! There are also usually some of them at Billings Bridge park.
February 28th, 2010
The Rideau continues to support good numbers of Common Goldeneye, and, as with the neighboring Mallards, courtship is in full swing.
The juvenile male, second from the left, is doing a classic goldeneye showoff for the ladies: neck arched back, feet simultaneously kicking at the water.
Note the two oddballs in this picture: The male about 3/5 of the way to the right, with the dollop-shaped (instead of round) cheek patch and the spotted shoulder stripe, is a Barrow's Goldeneye--a rare species in the east, but one which winters in Ottawa each year in very small numbers (1-4). The redheaded duck in the upper left is a Common Merganser.
Eventually the females get interested, at which point they start doing the funky head motions too :-)
The wintering goldeneyes are easy to find, if you ever want to watch these fascinating ducks for yourself. Take a bus or drive to where Rideau Street crosses the river (Cummings Bridge), then walk south--preferably with binoculars! There are also usually some of them at Billings Bridge park.
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