This morning I visited Colonel Sam Smith Park - and I was met with an incredible surprise. I was walking along the lake, when a passing birder asks me "Have you seen the Harlequin Duck yet?" You can tell what happened next: I shake my head, quickly ask for directions to the duck, and take off. I was excited; this would be a lifer for me.
I ran over to the spot it was seen and began looking. I thought I saw glimpses of it several times very far out amongst the Bufflehead and hundreds of other ducks, but it kept disappearing in the waves. To add to that, I thought I saw the Harlequin Duck on one side of the bay, and then two minutes later on the completely other side. Finding the duck was proving to be quite a difficult task.
Finally, just as the sun was coming out, I saw the adult male Harlequin Duck for a full 30 seconds. I had been standing in the harsh wind for over forty minutes and I must have caught a cold ten times over. However, I managed to find this lifer, and I had to say that it was the most gorgeous bird I have ever seen.
I could hardly contain myself as I carefully printed "HADU" on my sightings sheet. What a great day!
