[EBB Sightings] Hybrid Goldeneye/Merganser at Lake Merritt

Thursday, Dec. 14. Don Reinberg and I found a  hybrid duck swimming with 
Goldeneyes in the Lake Merritt outlet channel  (Oakland, CA). This channel is best 
accessed from 10th Av., just across from  Laney College and about 50 yards 
south of the Kaiser Convention Center. This  striking bird was found several 
years ago by Bob Batagin, and was photographed  by Bob and Joe Morlan. Joe wrote 
a "Featured Photo" article on the bird for  Western Birds. As Joe says: "We 
concluded it was Hooded Merganser X Barrow's  Goldeneye, a previously unknown 
combination."

I think Bob needs to change  his name from "bigfootbob" to "hybridbob".

Joe Morlan's photos of this  rare hybrid can be seen  at:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/257396144ThUYje

Cheers, Len  Blumin, Mill Valley