Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Oh those Golden Eyes!

In the Northeast one can usually find Common Goldeneyes on local streams and lakes as long as there is open water. The drakes are stunningly handsome with their jewel-like eyes and their finely detailed black-and-white plumage.... 

So, with some imagination can't you see them in the Golden Book of Fairy Tales?









The Barrow's Goldeneye on the other hand is a rare visitor hereThere are several subtle differences, the most obvious one being a crescent patch on the face rather than an oval one.
.

I almost saw one the other day on the Connecticut River at the Vernon Dam, but it was just out of sight, my view blocked by a patch of tall cattails. So for illustration i am left with a photo I took of a captive bird in a zoo a couple of years ago. 



 Wish me luck! I am sure eventually I am going to see a real wild one!

Thanks for stopping by. Please leave a comment.
Enhanced by Zemanta

17 comments:

  1. We have Goldeneye in the UK but I haven't managed to capture an image of one yet.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Beautiful captures Hilke.Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

    ReplyDelete
  3. In the spring, before the ice breaks up on the river but has developed patches of open water, an occasional Golden Eye will stop over here on its migration. It is a great treat to see one so close to home once a year. Good luck on your quest to catch a Barrows Golden Eye!
    ;-)WBW

    ReplyDelete
  4. I really hope you get to see the Barrows in the wilds...but either way YOUR photos are awesome...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Excellent photos! Love the golden eyes!

    ReplyDelete
  6. The Common Goldeneye is a winter visitor here, and a lovely bird.
    You've caught his green sheen on the head perfectly.
    Good luck with seeing the Barrows.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm with you, Hilke. I plan on seeing one this winter, actually.

    Outstanding photos, as always!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I've got mine this winter and couldn't be happier. I'll be posting a comparison piece of both Goldeneyes soon. Nice piece you've got here. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you! I have to say I was a little dissapointed that when the title said "Goldeneys" on FB and here, I was really hoping to see a new, self portrait of your lovely smiling face!

    ReplyDelete
  9. These are great photos! We don't usually see many here in Portland but for some reason we've been lucky this winter and have had many of each kind in our rivers!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great photos!

    I don't think we have Goldeneyes in our area of Southern California. It sure is a pretty bird :-)

    ~Ron

    ReplyDelete
  11. What a gorgeous duck! That eye really shows and the color of the feathers is beautiful. Sometimes zoos are the best place to find those hard to find birds :-)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Great photos and I really like the reflection in the first photo where even the golden eye is reflected.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I hope you will see one wild one Hilke... I've seen it in Finland in 2000 and once in Iceland, a lost individual.... I can send you many barrow's goldeneyes, but not unfortunately any of the common... Nice shots you got BTW.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thank you all for your kind comments and good wishes - they may help speed me along to a sighting this year.

    ReplyDelete
  15. These ducks are so amazing! I have never seen one...

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.