Central Mass Waterfowl 11/21

A Redhead was reported from Coachlace Pond in Clinton yesterday and I was fortunate it was still present this morning. Good early morning light provided a good opportunity to get a few digiscope shots. Also present were over 60 scaup, a few Common Goldeneyes and Hooded Mergansers.
Female Redhead with Greater Scaup on Coachlace Pond in Clinton.

There was a nice assortment of waterfowl on Lake Wickabaug in West Brookfield. It nothing that might compare to yesterday's fallout of Tundra Swans at Quabbin Park and a small Pond in Brimfield, but very respectful!

Canada Goose ....12
American Black Duck... 6
Mallard ...20
Lesser Scaup ...1
White-winged Scoter... 1 female
Black Scoter 14 all females
Hooded Merganser 37
Common Merganser 175
Red-breasted Merganser 1 female
Great Blue Heron 1
Ring-billed Gull 110
Herring Gull (American) 6
Great Black-backed Gull 6

Here is a distant shot of the White-winged Scoter.

There was also good numbers of waterfowl on Quaboag Pond topped by about 130 Common Mergansers, 6 Lesser Scaup and a distant soaring Bald Eagle.

I checked a small section of Pattapaug Pond, Gate 41 at Quabbin, which also had some nice birds, the highlights there were 4 Gadwall, 26 Black Ducks, 7 Ring-necked Ducks and 14 Hooded Mergansers.

Gadwall digiscope from about 400 meters.

The 29 Tundra Swans report from Sherman Pond in Brimfield had moved on, as did the 19 from Quabbin Park. Perhaps the clear sky and full moon last night, provided an opportunity for those birds to work the night shift. Many times out place waterfowl will move on very quickly from inland lakes and ponds.