| Common Name | Ruddy Duck |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Oxyura jamaicensis |
| Type of Report | Out-of-Season |
| Date of Observation | 01/02/2023 |
| Media | |
| Number Observed | 5 |
| Reporting Observer's Name | Chelsea Carroll |
| Mailing Address | 2994 Lake Rd Benson, VT 05743 United States Map It |
| Email hidden; Javascript is required. | |
| Date Completed | 01/02/2023 |
| Names & Emails of Other Contributing Observers | Andrew Farber, (function(){var ml="e0.fr%ca4oliwmbdg",mi="?4004581@=7;:269=",o="";for(var j=0,l=mi.length;j<l;j++){o+=ml.charAt(mi.charCodeAt(j)-48);}document.getElementById("wpmt-685238-416494").innerHTML = decodeURIComponent(o);}());*protected email* |
| Latitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | 43.622398 |
| Longitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | -73.228692 |
| Place Name | Lake Bomoseen |
| Township | Castleton |
| County | Rutland |
| Vermont eBird Checklist URL | ebird.org |
| Time of Day | 03:59 PM |
| Length of Time Observed | 10 minutes |
| Maximum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 300' |
| Minimum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 200' |
| Noteworthy Weather Conditions | mild, unseasonably warm, low 40s, no wind, dusk, some icing over in places |
| Optical Equipment Used for Observation | Canon SX60 and binoculars |
| Observer’s Previous Acquaintance With This or Similar Species | no previous acquaintance; first time observing this species |
| I certify that any attachments included with this report were captured during this observation event. | |
| Description of Habitat | large freshwater lake |
| Behaviors Observed | swimming together, bobbing and diving |
| Description of Vocalizations | none |
| Verbal Narrative & Description of Observation | Five ducks were observed just north of the 'channel' by the southwestern tip of Lake Bomoseen. Photos taken from Creek Road. Plain looking brownish ducks with upright tails and larger bills. They were synchronized diving together, surfacing one right after another. Constantly swimming in tight circles, bobbing around on the surface. They were not mixing with the other ducks in the immediate area (Common & Hooded Mergansers, Common Goldeneyes, Mallards) and were indifferent to the American Coot 50 to 100 ft away. |
| Relative Size & Shape | Small, compact duck |
| Head | Larger head, necks were light brown, dark brown cap & nape of neck, brown line under eye |
| Feet & Bill | Feet not seen, bill brown |
| Upper Back | Upper back all brown/gray |
| Lower Back & Rump | Lower back all brown/gray |
| Wings | Wings slightly lighter shade of brown |
| Breast, Belly, Flanks, Under Tail Coverts | Underside of bird not seen |
| Tail | Brown tail was in upright position |
| IMPORTANT: What similar species were eliminated when making the identification and how was this bird different? | Similar looking species we eliminated were a Black Scoter (immature). The compact size and beak shape were moderately similar, but the coloring & tail were just not right. |
| This report was written from notes taken: | Immediately After |
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