Where the cool ducks are, eastern Boulder Co.

[Ted Floyd]

Hey, all. I popped in on Erie Reservoir, a. k. a. Safeway Pond, immediately north of the well, Safeway, at the intersection of U.S. 287 & Arapahoe Rd. in Erie, eastern Boulder Co., earlier this sunny and penultimate day of 2023. And there were some cool ducks there. Like this hen Barrow goldeneye:

A goodly number of common goldeneyes on the pond, too, in every plumage imaginable. Here's one of the drakes:

Also some buffleheads, including this drake:



Therefore, every single species of Bucephala duck on the planet is at the pond. B. islandica, B. clangula, and B. albeola; and that, as they say, is that. A clean sweep. A slam. The whole schmear, the whole enchilada, the whole nine yards; the hoyteenish shindilly.

Not all the world's Aythya ducks were there, not by any means, but this one was cool:

I believe it is a hybrid, with one parent being a lesser scaup. Is ring-necked duck the other parent? Well, while you ponder that, here is a definitive ring-necked duck:

It is in fact in definitive plumage. Definitive basic, which is odd. Anyhoo...

And here's another Aythya, a canvasback, for sure, but in a plumage that I don't know precisely what to make of. Cool bird, in any event:



All the diving ducks (there were other species) seem happily ensconced at that crayfish-filled waterbody, and I imagine they'll be there for a while. Get 'em tomorrow for your 2023 year list! And do it again on Mon. for your 2024 list!

Ted Floyd
Lafayette, Boulder Co.