January 9, 2022 On my way home from visiting a friend in Tucson, I park at the Benson Sewage Treatment Plant to check on the winter waterfowl and pick out a few birds—northern shovelers, canvasbacks, American wigeons—that I’ll never see in my yard. I’m lame with ducks and need the practice. Somewhere in the wastewater pond is an “uncommon” common goldeneye, the black-headed, white-bodied diving duck recently reported on eBird. But I’m not sure I can tell one apart from a bufflehead or merganser.
That photo of the vermilion flycatcher just makes me happy. Living in Alaska as I do, I never see them except when I'm lucky enough to spot one on my visits to Arizona. Thanks for posting!
A Vermilion Flycatcher photo taken at the Benson Sewage Ponds was used on my Christmas cards (when I actually printed and snail-mailed them), the first year we moved here. I never tire of photographing them. I had a Common Goldeneye on 11/23/21 at the STP. I wonder if it's still hanging around? I haven't been "out" birding much in recent weeks. I've gotten lazy.
I almost guarantee you would easily pick out the goldeneye! They really don’t look like buffleheads or mergansers. Someday I hope to see a vermillion flycatcher!
That photo of the vermilion flycatcher just makes me happy. Living in Alaska as I do, I never see them except when I'm lucky enough to spot one on my visits to Arizona. Thanks for posting!
A Vermilion Flycatcher photo taken at the Benson Sewage Ponds was used on my Christmas cards (when I actually printed and snail-mailed them), the first year we moved here. I never tire of photographing them. I had a Common Goldeneye on 11/23/21 at the STP. I wonder if it's still hanging around? I haven't been "out" birding much in recent weeks. I've gotten lazy.
I almost guarantee you would easily pick out the goldeneye! They really don’t look like buffleheads or mergansers. Someday I hope to see a vermillion flycatcher!