Unwitting entertainers

There are definitely more Buffleheads than anything else on the marsh these days. These birds are so small (they are our smallest duck) that on rough water like today, they bob on the surface like corks. They are also among the most amusing ducks to watch, especially during courting season. The three shown here include, from left to right, a first winter male, an adult male, and an adult female.

They're back!

This morning, for the first time since last May, I spotted some Bufflehead ducks among the many ducks way out on the marsh. They breed farther north, but often return here in the fall. They will probably be on the marsh until it freezes over, then may move to the river for the winter, or move farther south.