Uncommon

Sylvan Water from a distance: ducks on the edge of the ice.

Getting closer… a couple of Hooded Merganser males making ripples away from me.

Male Bufflehead, and the two male Hooded bookending a female Hooded.

And here’s the anomaly: a female Common Merganser/Mergus merganser. This is the first I’ve seen in Green-Wood.

The thick bill base, strongly defined white chin patch, and sharp line between russet head and white chest help separate these from the similar Red-breasted Merganser females.