Goldeneyes!

Well, I'm STILL going through my Texas photos, culling and cropping and labeling, but today I heard about some big action at the Centre Furnace Duck Pond:
Goldeneyes! Beautiful little Goldeneyes! Lifer! Somehow I was expecting them to be bigger, or darker, or more distinctive. But they were kinda plain and little. But still beautiful! You know how I love my ducks!

I also saw some other good birds, though I apologize for the poor photo quality -- the batteries on my camera were dying and the gray skies didn't provide any light:

Lesser Scaup, about 20 of them

a beautiful Horned Grebe

some little Ruddy Ducks

a Canvasback hiding his head

and some Buffleheads.

The Duck Pond never ceases to amaze me in its ability to draw crazy-good waterfowl. This pond is right near the university, alongside a busy College Ave. between PSU and the local mall. Still, we get great ducks and other birds all the time. It's a real treat to have a spot for birding right in town near work.