The Redhead and Canvasback were there at 8:00 a.m. (along with a female
Hooded Merg) but the raft quickly dispersed after some eagles took a few
passes.  I didn't have time for a thorough scan before they left, so no
Ring-necked Ducks for me.  No sign of a Snowy, but hopefully those cool
ducks will be back!

 - Larry


On Tue, Jan 14, 2014 at 8:06 AM, alison wagner <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> They'rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrre BacK!
>
> Eric Hynes and I decided to race to Shelburne Bay before dawn with hopes of
> lucking out with desirable ducks (and owls) before we had to beat the clock
> back to Hinesburg.  When we arrived, a few small rafts of ducks were along
> the ice edge, the species determined by their silhouettes, and as dark gave
> way to light, we could clearly see the Ring-necked, Canvasback, and
> Red-head were back!  We scanned the shore line for the Snowy, but that one
> eluded us. Also, no sign of a Hooded Merganser.  A muskrat was the sole
> occupant on the mammal list!
>
> Good luck to others going for the ducks with red heads!
>
> And thanks, everyone, for the posts!
>
> Ali
> Huntington
>
>
> On Tue, Jan 14, 2014 at 1:12 AM, Michele Patenaude <[log in to unmask]
> >wrote:
>
> > Shelburne Bay was rich today. I was there from 3:55 to 4:45 pm. Partway
> > through, the Snowy Owl showed up and sat on the edge of the ice to the
> > north. Later it flew off to the east and landed on the ice at that end of
> > the bay. In addition to the Canvasback and Redhead that Bruce McPherson
> > mentioned, there was also a Ring-necked Duck swimming among approximately
> > 120 Common Goldeneye.
> >
> > The ducks stuck around for about 15 minutes after the Snowy Owl showed up
> > and then they all rose up and flew east and disappeared in the horizon. I
> > believe the Canvasback, Redhead and Ring-necked Duck joined them.
> Something
> > must have spooked them, but aside from the owl, I did not see any other
> > predators. Twenty-three Common Mergansers and a single Hooded Merganser
> > were also present.
> >
> > A Greater Black-backed Gull sitting afar on ice to the east, later flew
> up
> > circling high above the owl and squawking alarm calls.
> >
> > I did not notice the Gadwalls but they might have been there. There were
> > no Bald Eagles.
> >
> > Michele Patenaude
> > 172 Woodbury Road
> > Burlington, VT 05408
> > 802-862-4085
> >
>



-- 
Larry Clarfeld
Environmental Educator
Youth Birding Coordinator

North Branch Nature Center
713 Elm St.
Montpelier, VT 05602

www.NorthBranchNatureCenter.org
(802) 229-6206
[log in to unmask]