Duck Days

Common Merganser

Hooded Merganser

American Wigeon etc

Gadwall

Lesser (or greater but I think lesser) Scaup

Mallard and Lesser Scaup

I wasn't going to venture out into the cold today but a traffic jam on I-95 changed my mind.  It was windy and very cold but the ducks were loving it.  Heinz served up the Mergansers, Common and Hooded, along with some Canada Geese and Mallards.  FDR had the Wigeon and Gadwall (not to mention Shovelers, Coots, and Mergansers.)  I initially thought the Wigeon was a very nice looking Gadwall so I think that makes it my first Wigeon.  The Philadelphia Navy Yard had Scaup, Lesser I believe, along with the Mallards.  I also saw Bufflehead at both FDR and the Navy Yard but couldn't get close enough for a decent shot.

Lake Erie

These are waves rolling in on Lake Erie, not the ocean.  The water was so rough I imagined you could drown just looking at it.  The sky was a brilliant blue so all that brown is coming from the lake floor.  These photos were taken at Magee Marsh Wildlife Area in Oak Harbor, OH.  I think those are Lesser Scaup riding the waves but I can't be sure they aren't Greater Scaup.  Either way it's a new bird for me.  Do you get to count it if you can't ID it properly??