MA - Canvasback again plus Redhead

Thinking that I'd already had my luck for the week with yesterday's drake Canvasback, I very nearly skipped another morning check of Barton Cove but I was definitely curious to see if the Canvasback had moved on overnight. I found him settled and sleeping with an apparently growing raft of Ring-necked Ducks and Greater Scaup. My first binocular views were brief and as I scanned through the flock I was astonished to find a drake Redhead instead! Fortunately both birds lingered for images but the Redhead took off upriver and looked very flighty. I didn't see it return. A few minutes later the Canvasback decided to flex its wings taking off with Greater Scaup only to return to the same spot after doing a circuit of the cove. As if that wasn't enough, a fine drake Red-breasted Merganser was roosting in the channel closer to the Unity Park side of the cove - not too shabby for a morning in Gill!

This little collection was perhaps the best diving duck diversity I've come across locally in the last few years. Present this morning were; 35+ Ring-necked Duck, 15+ Greater Scaup, 3 Lesser Scaup, 12 Common Merganser, 1 Red-breasted Merganser, 4 Hooded Merganser, 7 Bufflehead, 1 Canvasback and 1 Redhead. By comparison, Turner's Falls power canal was rather quiet (again) though 35 Canada Geese looked like newly arrived migrants.

Redhead - male in breeding plumage, Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 14th, 2014.

Overall similar color fields to Canvasback but much grayer with rounded head and blue-gray bill. 

 Canvasback - male in breeding plumage, Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 14th, 2014.

Much whiter overall than Redhead with sloping head/bill profile and long, all-dark bill. 

Notably flighty this morning perhaps warming up to continue migration?

Red-breasted Merganser - male (right) with Common Merganser (male), Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 14th, 2014.