| Common Name | Ruddy Duck |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Oxyura jamaicensis |
| Type of Report | Out-of-Season |
| Date of Observation | 01/05/2024 |
| Number Observed | 1 |
| Reporting Observer's Name | C J Frankiewicz |
| Mailing Address | 1173 E Clarendon Road N Clarendon, VT 05759 United States Map It |
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| Date Completed | 01/09/2024 |
| Latitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | 0 |
| Longitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | 0 |
| Place Name | Lake Bomoseen--Edward F. Kehoe Access Area |
| Township | Castleton |
| County | Rutland |
| Vermont eBird Checklist URL | ebird.org |
| Time of Day | 11:16 AM |
| Length of Time Observed | 31 minutes, |
| Maximum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 50 yards |
| Minimum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 45 yards |
| Noteworthy Weather Conditions | Cloudy, no precipitation, very light wind. |
| Optical Equipment Used for Observation | 10x42x Leopold binoculars and 15-60x Bausch & Lomb Discoverer scope. |
| Observer’s Previous Acquaintance With This or Similar Species | Have seen plenty of Ruddy Ducks in past decades, including my first in the 1970s or 1980s, and especially at least five sightings late 2022 and most recently three RDs at Kent Pond on 11-2-23 and five RDs at Lake Bomoseen on 1-2-23 (for which I may have submitted an RSD). |
| I certify that any attachments included with this report were captured during this observation event. | |
| Description of Habitat | Lake Bomoseen. PBG down the shore a quarter mile; Canada geese, Mallards, Common Mergansers, and Common Loon much further away. |
| Behaviors Observed | Sleeping with bill tucked in--for the duration of the 31 minutes I was there. |
| Description of Vocalizations | None. |
| Verbal Narrative & Description of Observation | Sleeping with long tail raised. Adult female with wide white line through face; some white lower on head. Gray body on small duck. |
| Relative Size & Shape | Small duck, much smaller than the many mallards I saw the same day. |
| Head | Dark crown with white stripe, dark stripe, and white below on side of face. |
| Feet & Bill | Dark bill mostly tucked in. |
| Upper Back | Dark gray. |
| Lower Back & Rump | Dark gray. |
| Wings | Folded. |
| Breast, Belly, Flanks, Under Tail Coverts | None seen. |
| Tail | Long for a duck and raised. |
| IMPORTANT: What similar species were eliminated when making the identification and how was this bird different? | Face markings not the same as any scoter. Too small also. Raised tail was the immediate giveaway. Bigger than a Bufflehead. White facial stripe longer and not as bright white as on a female Bufflehead. |
| Other Notes & Comments | Winter plumage female. |
| This report was written from notes taken: | During the Observation |
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