Sunday, January 8

sleepy eyed Goldeneyes

Canyon Lake is our local hangout for winter ducks. Migrants stop by and stay for the winter, wigeons, goldeneyes, mallards, gadwalls and  others are usually found doing duck things any time of day.

We have had unseasonalbly warm weather lately, so the ice cover on the lake is minimal and open water keeps them scattered. The local mallard crowd is so used to people you can just about walk up and pat them on their little feathered heads. Not so the travelers from farther north, these guys appeared to be snoozing, but I could see golden eyes peeking at me, and this was as close as I was going to get, thank you.

They really are lovely ducks on the water, and what the folks in northern NY where I grew up call "Whistlers". One fly by over your head and it is pretty obvious why.

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