Redhead Ducks at Hammond Pond

Redhead Ducks

 While I had already posted about the redhead ducks at Hammond Pond, I wanted to try and find them as well. For my first attempt several weeks ago, I arrived too late at the pond and the light was starting to fail, so even if they were there I wouldn't have been able to see them at the far side of the pond. But my second trip was a success!

At the overlook by the Container Store, I could initially only make out our resident common and hooded mergansers diving at the far end of the pond. The flashing white of the male mergansers probably helped to draw my eye. Soon after, I was able to see between the mergansers and finally spotted four redheads (2 males and 2 females) in the far corner.

Hooded Mergansers

At this point in time, several other birders showed up to view these uncommon ducks and fortunately they had a scope and were kind enough to allow me views of the action. I have always been concerned that it would be difficult to tell canvasbacks and redheads apart, but these weren't that challenging to identify. The back is grayer and the head more rounded than a canvasback. However, the best give away for me was the blue-gray bill and black tip while the canvasback has an all black bill. Redheads primarily breed in the Western US, including the prairie pothole region of the upper Midwest and Canada and while some birds winter along the Eastern seaboard, they tend not travel as far up the coast as Massachusetts. So we are quite lucky that these individuals decided to stop at Hammond Pond. Others have reported up to five redheads, so does that mean that the third female was hiding in the back corner of the pond or did she find another local pond to visit?

As we were watching the redheads, they started to slowly work their way to the west, all the while diving to feed. At this point I headed over to the overview at the DCR parking lot and found a few mallards and ring-billed gulls while a flock of Canada geese passed overhead. From this vantage point, I was able to stand hidden behind a tree to get great views (and pictures) of the redheads and hooded mergansers. Between the redheads and the Eurasian teal, we sure are lucky with our visiting waterfowl.

Redheads