[NBB] Do Buffleheads breed in Sonoma County?
Subject: [NBB] Do Buffleheads breed in Sonoma County?
From: Ctalcroft
Date: Thu, Feb 9, 2012, 9:50 PM
Out at Lake Ralphine today, I saw a pair of Buffleheads copulating on the water--or at least that's what it looked like to me. The male mounted the female and remained "attached" to her for about 30 seconds--which is rather a long time by bird standards (I believe), but, then again, I think I've heard that male ducks are among the very few birds that actually have a penis....
Anyway, I mention this in case it's of relevance to anyone for the Breeding Bird Atlas. In the old edition, I can't find any mention of Buffleheads, so I was surprised to have seen what I saw--or was this some other behavior? Any ideas anyone?
Otherwise, I spent a while observing the GULLS (Mew, Ring-billed, California, and juvenile Thayer's). I noticed a couple of the California gulls were moving into breeding plumage--still with dark streaking on the head, but the orange-red eyering had developed and there was noticeable orange-red at the gape. Saw seven BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS in the trees at the far end of the lake. Otherwise, mostly Mergansers, Buffleheads, and cormorants on the water, with a few PB Grebes thrown in.
Lake Ralphine is here:
http://colintalcroft.com/Sonoma_County_Bird_Watching_Spots/Lake_Ralphine,_Santa_Rosa.html
Colin Talcroft
Santa Rosa
Sonoma County Bird Watching Spots
http://colintalcroft.com/Sonoma_County_Bird_Watching_Spots/SCBWS_front_page.html
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