[EBB Sightings] Lake Merritt -- duckapalooza, plus that mute swan

My goodness!  The birds certainly were obliging this afternoon at Lake Merritt!

I had been sick all week, and dragged myself down the the lake to see if I could spot all the exciting birds y'all has been writing about.  I chased that swan (in a feverish sweaty stupor) more than halfway around the lake, only to have it prove swim across the lake as I was finally closing in on it.  However, it stood remarkably still and posed for photos when I finally caught up with it on the sandy beach by the bandstand,

I reported this to a uninterested worker at the Rotary Nature Center, and then went out to the feeding area to see if I could get lucky, and see the Tufted Duck.  I figured this would be like finding a needle in a haystack, but after I spotted the Ring Necked Duck and the (I think) female Redhead, he came right up to me.

Swan
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisascenic/2997033929/

Tufted Duck
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisascenic/2997573130/

Ring Necked Duck
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisascenic/2997028987/

Redhead (am I wrong about this one?  It seems like the bird from last winter.)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisascenic/2996846089/

And everything else
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisascenic/



Happy Birding, Y'all!


Lisa Lazar
ignorant bird nerd
Oakland