While Harriman Lake can generally be one of the better west-metro lakes for good waterfowl diversity, we came away on Saturday with only forty total ducks from eight species and with only one individual representing a couple of those.  In identifying these ducks to species there were a couple of key points made.  First, in looking at a male Ring-necked Duck you can generally use the multi-colored bill as one of the key characteristics.  However, if the duck has its head tucked down, what else can we look for?  Well, you should still be able to see that among the many similar looking ducks of the Aythya genus (Canvasback, Redhead, Tufted Duck, Ring-necked Duck, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, and six others found outside of North America), the Ring-necked Duck has the most peaked head – even when the head is tucked under a wing.  Then, looking at the body it is very distinctively marked with a glossy black head, breast, rump, and back.  This last has the shape of an English riding saddle.  The flanks are a light gray, and most importantly the sides of the breast have a bright, white, vertical “spur.”  This “spur” can be seen from quite far away and is diagnostic for Ring-necked Duck.  Speaking of spurs, the male Hooded Merganser has two black spurs at the front of its breast separated by a single, bright, white spur.  Again, a great characteristic to look for in making a long-distance identification.

Among the landbirds there was a fair amount of singing being done by House Finches, Song Sparrows, and Red-winged Blackbirds – all good signs of the onset of breeding season.  An even greater indication of the changing seasons was provided by the arrival of a loan migrant Osprey flying over the lake.  Let’s make sure we know what to look for on these guys.  The crown is mostly white with a gray forehead; there’s a wide dark eyeline expanding in the auricular area; from the chin to the undertail coverts and underwing coverts all is white; the long tail is finely banded grey and white; the secondaries and the carpal (wrist) area are dark – almost black; the primaries are lightly banded with black tips; and finally the wings are long (14” longer than a Red-tailed Hawk) and narrow with a distinctive carpal kink – this last can often be diagnostic.

Then, to top things off, we had a mystery bird calling from within the cattails.  The rhythm alone, that of a cantering horse (thank you, Holly) should have provided me with a successful identification.  However, I had to get home and listen to some recordings on Xeno-Canto to confirm the ID – a Virginia Rail.  We normally hear these guys doing their loud, wheezy pig-like grunting or their syncopated (like a cantering horse?) metallic calls – often imitated by striking two rocks together.  The call we heard on Saturday was a high-pitched syncopated three-note call repeated about three times (think of the beginning of the William Tell Overture).  The Sibley app has a recording of what he calls the “Kikik” call that is very close to what we heard, and here’s a recording from Xeno-Canto that comes close.

Good birding!  Chuck

Harriman Lake Park, Mar 19, 2022 
29 species (+2 other taxa)

Canada Goose  22
Northern Shoveler  8
Gadwall  4
Mallard  6
Redhead  3
Ring-necked Duck  1
Lesser Scaup  15
Common Goldeneye  1
Hooded Merganser  2
Pied-billed Grebe  3
Eurasian Collared-Dove  2
Mourning Dove  8
American Coot  28
Ring-billed Gull  1
Great Blue Heron  4
Osprey  1 
Red-tailed Hawk  3
Northern Flicker  5
Blue Jay  2
Black-billed Magpie  3
American Crow  5
Common Raven  1
Black-capped Chickadee  2
European Starling  5
American Robin  1
House Finch  6
Dark-eyed Junco  3
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)  2
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)  1
Song Sparrow  12
Red-winged Blackbird  126