RI - Tufted Duck - 02/11

I can't think of a single year that I've missed seeing Tufted Duck since I began birding in 1975. Growing up in England and then spending extended periods in Israel always ensured that Tufted Duck was one of the commoner diving ducks that I'd encounter during any birding year.

Over the past couple of years I've had become increasingly aware that I've never actually seen Tufted Duck in North America, so I was especially delighted to catch up with this fine male in Rhode Island. I'd actually spent most of the morning unsuccessfully looking for this bird at Apponaug Cove in Warwick and was understandably thrilled when Rachel Farrell called to let me know that Jack Sullivan had just located a Tufted Duck on East Providence Reservoir. It took me about 30 minutes to get to the site and to find Rachel and Jack still there watching the bird. The views were distant but the light excellent offering some good instructive comparisons with Lesser Scaup and Ring-necked Ducks. I'm extremely grateful to Rachel for the call.

It's a little ironic that Tufted Duck should become the 700th species that I've seen in the ABA area!

Tufted Duck - male (center in all three images above), East Providence Reservoir, RI.

Tufted Duck - male (fourth from left), East Providence Reservoir, RI.

Tufted Duck - male (upper right), East Providence Reservoir, RI.
With Lesser Scaup, Ring-necked Duck and Green-winged Teal.