Following Chip Francke's report (below) Feller DeWitt and Ken Sapkowski also saw the Western Grebe today at the Muskegon Channel.
Feller's Email: The Western Grebe was by the NOAO ship and heading for the big lake at 4:30 P.M.
Ken's Email and Photo: I'm pretty sure about this one, but let me know if I'm incorrect. Not sure about the duck in this picture although there was a Goldeneye not too far away.
Feller and Ken, thanks! Yes, that's the Western Grebe. Assuming the white blotch on the duck's neck is a photo aberration, I agree that it looks like a Common Goldeneye female until someone with more skills chimes in. - Ric ... which someone did: see Charlie DeWitt's comment -- it's a Bufflehead.
2 comments:
The "Old Duck Hunter" says female Bufflehead. Common Goldeneye female has brown head, no spot.
Charlie DeWitt
Thanks "Old Duck Hunter". I hate to agree with you of all people, but I should have looked up those birds' sizes last night before chiming in. Wikipedia gives these lengths in inches: Western Grebe (22-30), Common Goldeneye (16-20), Bufflehead (12.5-16 with females smaller than drakes). Even with those variances, a goldeneye probably wouldn't be "dwarfed" by this grebe as much as the duck in Ken's photo.
Post a Comment