[EBB Sightings] Not Oiled: Common Goldeneyes in Basic 1 and Alternate 1 Plumages, Lake Merritt

These birds look oiled but are not. They are in normal sub-adult plumages.

Seen: 11/23, 2:30, Bellvue Ave at Lake Merritt near shore at the flotation
boom on the south side of the islands. 

Saw six males, 2 in basic 1 and 4 in Alternate 1 plumage. There are probably
more. 

The following plumage descriptions are from Birds of North America online:

BASIC 1
"Extent of Prebasic I molt variable, ranging from a limited partial body
molt of head, flanks, and scapulars to a molt of all body plumage and
sometimes all rectrices (Cramp 1977); never complete (contra U.S. Fish
Wildl. Serv. 1977). Occurs Sep-Nov (Dement'ev and Gladkov 1967)."

"Both sexes: same as Juvenal plumage except head and neck warmer brown;
sides of head often tinged black in males. Chest gray brown, feathers tipped
white; flanks gray brown, often mottled pale gray in males (Cramp 1977,
Tobish 1986)."

HW--The males at Lake Merritt look mostly like females but have, dingy white
loral spots. Top quarter of head is green. Rest of head is brown. 


ALTERNATE 1
"Prealternate I molt may begin as early as Oct, shortly after completion of
Prebasic I molt, but usually begins in Nov, rarely as late as Mar (Cramp
1977), typically later in females than in males (Palmer 1976b). Dement'ev
and Gladkov (1967) state, probably incorrectly, that this molt does not
begin until Apr. Partial to complete body molt, never including rectrices
(contra Cramp 1977 and U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv. 1977). May be more limited, on
average, than Definitive Prealternate molt (Palmer 1976b)."

"Males: compared to older males, feathers of crown less elongated, brown
bases of head feathers visible; white loral spot may be smaller (Olson in
Palmer 1976b); may have some completely black median upperwing-coverts;
scapulars and flank feathers longer with broader black edges, tips
occasionally mottled gray; feathers of sides of breast sometimes partly and
faintly barred gray subterminally (Palmer 1976b, Cramp 1977, Tobish 1986)."

"Females: typically retain more Juvenal and Basic I plumage than do males
(Cramp 1977, Tobish 1986)."

HW--The males at Lake Merritt have normal head and back plumage. Breast is
dingy and flanks have long black horizontal streaks that extend to
waterline. Some streaking curves from near breast up into body feathers.
Looks like oil but is actually plumage. 

Update on oiled bird survey in Alameda: 

Last week (5 days), sighted 28 scaups, scoters, and grebes onshore and 14
oiled ones in the water. Recovered 2 dead. Helped capture 1 coot, 1 grebe, 1
scaup. 

This week (5 days), sighted 19 scaups and scoters onshore and 32 oiled ones
in the water. Recovered 11 dead, including a Pacific Loon. Helped capture 1
scoter. 

Several additional dead birds were recovered by Rangers in Alameda at Crab
cove both weeks.

Oil on beaches in Alameda from air base to Oakland Airport is light.
Distressed birds appear to to be moving south. Last week most sightings were
on north end of Alameda, near Naval airbase. This week, most sightings were
further south at Doolittle Lagoon and at Arrowhead marsh. Have recovered 5
dead birds at Arrowhead in two days. 


Harv Wilson