Barrow’s Goldeneye at North Point Park in Sheboygan Wisconsin on March 15, 2017

I made the run up to North Point Park in Sheboygan this morning with hopes to see the male Barrow’s Goldeneye. I was not disappointed.  The Barrow’s Goldeneye rode the large waves coming in like the other ducks present. It dove often for food and sometimes it was hard to relocate with the large waves. This is not a life bird as I photographed one at the exact location back on January 7, 2011. As I have searched high and low through rafts of Common Goldeneye on the Milwaukee lakefront year after year, to see one again is a special treat. From Sheboygan I stopped at Port Washington for a couple of minutes and got a distant shot of 4- Red-throated Loons just east of the harbor entrance feeding on occasion. Thanks to Dan B for finding this uncommon bird for the area and for getting the word out for others to see it. It was about 20 degrees with full sun when I arrived at 9:00 am with steady winds off the lake. It was a bitter cold viewing period. Images were taken on March 15, 2017.

Common Goldeneye, males on both sides with the Barrow’s Goldeneye, male in the middle, also the brown duck being a Common Goldeneye, female

Barrow’s Goldeneye

Binomial name: Bucephala islanddica

Category: Duck, Geese, and Swans

Size: 18” long, 28” wing span

Weight: 2.1 lb.

Range: The normal winter range for this duck species is the east and west coasts of the US and Canada. The breeding range in general, is inland along with west coast of Canada well into Alaska south into Wyoming.

Barrow’s Goldeneye, male on the right

Barrow’s Goldeneye, male on the right

Barrow’s Goldeneye, male on the right, Bufflehead male to the left

Barrow’s Goldeneye, male in the middle with a Common Goldeneye, female on the right, Bufflehead males behind, Bufflehead female way back

Barrow’s Goldeneye with some displaying action

Barrow’s Goldeneye, male on the right with a Common Goldeneye, female following, Bufflehead female on the left

Barrow’s Goldeneye, male in the middle with a Bufflehead, male in front

Barrow’s Goldeneye in the middle

Barrow’s Goldeneye on the right with many Common Goldeneye, females around on the left

Barrow’s Goldeneye, male, just being there on the right

4- Red-throated Loons, nonbreeding plumage, distant shot at Port Washington