Bufflehead
Bucephala albeola
The Bufflehead is a smallish diving duck that breeds in central Canada and Alaska. Except for a few locations in the coastal Pacific Northwest and southeastern Alaska, these ducks spend their winters in the USA and Mexico, though they’ve occasionally wandered across the Pacific Ocean to winter in Japan and Kamchatka, or east across the Atlantic Ocean into Greenland and Europe. Like their closest relatives the Goldeneyes, Buffleheads are tree cavity nesters, and their small size allows them to occupy cavities as small as those excavated by Northern Flickers, holes too small for their larger cousins to exploit. Unlike most ducks, Buffleheads pair-bond for many years, if not for life.
Most of my encounters with these diminutive ducks have been in southern California, but I’ve also met in northern California, Oregon and Nevada, New Mexico, Wyoming, and in British Columbia.
Modern science considers the Bufflehead as monotypic (i.e. there are no subspecies).
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42 Photos
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Female. Klamath Falls, Southern Oregon. |
Date Taken: 2003:12:15 10:29 |
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Location:
Klamath Falls |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 |
File Name: JCD_4432BuffleHead |
| © 2003 Jack Daynes, (shadetree-Imaging.com) |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Klamath Falls, Southern Oregon. |
Date Taken: 2003:12:15 10:13 |
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Location:
Klamath Falls |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 |
File Name: JCD_4402BuffleHead |
| © 2003 Jack Daynes, (shadetree-Imaging.com) |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Klamath Falls, Southern Oregon. |
Date Taken: 2003:12:15 10:08 |
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Location:
Klamath Falls |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 |
File Name: JCD_4391BuffleHead |
| © 2003 Jack Daynes, (shadetree-Imaging.com) |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Cut-out image of a wild male at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. Escondido, California 2011-01-01. |
Date Taken: 2011:01:01 16:36 |
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Location:
San Pasqual |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 550 mm, f/5.6, 1/250 |
File Name: Cut_JCD6567_BuffleHead |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Wild male at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. Escondido, California 2011-01-01. |
Date Taken: 2011:01:01 16:36 |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 550 mm, f/5.6, 1/250 |
File Name: JCD6567_BuffleHead |
| © 2011 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Female at "The Ponds" adjacent to Beeler Creek. Poway California. San Diego County 2010-01-06. |
Date Taken: 2010:01:06 11:27 |
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Location:
Poway Grove Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 |
File Name: JCD4943.BuffleHead |
| © 2010 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Female at "The Ponds" adjacent to Beeler Creek. Poway California. San Diego County 2016-05-27. |
Date Taken: 2010:01:06 11:23 |
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Location:
Poway Grove Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 |
File Name: JCD4928.BuffleHead |
| © 2010 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Miramar Lake. San Diego, California. |
Date Taken: 2006:02:25 15:04 |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 |
File Name: JCD1810BuffleHead |
| © 2006 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: San Digito River Mouth. Del Mar, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2006:02:02 11:10 |
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Location:
San Dieguito River Mouth |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: JCD1363BuffleHead |
| © 2006 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Imperial Beach, San Diego, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:01:31 12:00 |
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Location:
Imperial Beach |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/3200 |
File Name: D3X0709-BuffleHead |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Raft of three hens at San Juan NWR, near Los Banos, California 2011-12-28. |
Date Taken: 2011:12:28 15:06 |
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Location:
San Juan NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X5888-BuffleHead |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Chula Vista Bayfront Park, Chula Vista, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2014:02:14 9:14 |
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Location:
Bayfront Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: D3X2778-BuffleHead |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Male at Chula Vista Bayfront Park, Chula Vista, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2014:02:14 9:14 |
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Location:
Bayfront Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: D3X2777-BuffleHead |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Female at Chula Vista Bayfront Park, Chula Vista, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2014:02:14 9:12 |
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Location:
Bayfront Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: D3X2761-BuffleHead |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Chula Vista Bayfront Park, Chula Vista, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2014:02:14 9:09 |
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Location:
Bayfront Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: D3X2735-BuffleHead |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Chula Vista Bayfront Park, Chula Vista, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2014:02:14 9:09 |
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Location:
Bayfront Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: D3X2734-BuffleHead |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Imperial Beach, San Diego, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:01:31 12:00 |
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Location:
Imperial Beach |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/3200 |
File Name: D3X0712-BuffleHead |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Penasquitos Lagoon in Del Mar, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2014:12:18 9:26 |
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Location:
Los Peñasquitos Lagoon
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: D3X3942-BuffleHead |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Penasquitos Lagoon in Del Mar, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2014:12:18 9:24 |
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Location:
Los Peñasquitos Lagoon
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: D3X3896-BuffleHead |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Adult female bird at Veteran's Park in urban Klamath Falls Oregon. Here, the Klamath River joins Upper Klamath Lake and Lake Ewauna and is called the "Link River". |
Date Taken: 2016:04:25 10:24 |
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Location:
Veteran's Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D729630-BuffleHead-Female |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Adult female bird at Veteran's Park in urban Klamath Falls Oregon. Here, the Klamath River joins Upper Klamath Lake and Lake Ewauna and is called the "Link River". |
Date Taken: 2016:04:25 10:26 |
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Location:
Veteran's Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D729654-BuffleHead-Female |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Male launching into dive-mode at Chula Vista Bayfront Park, Chula Vista, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2014:02:14 9:08 |
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Location:
Bayfront Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: D3X2722-BuffleHead |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Veteran's Park in urban Klamath Falls Oregon. Here, the Klamath River joins Upper Klamath Lake and Lake Ewauna and is called the "Link River". |
Date Taken: 2016:05:05 7:08 |
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Location:
Veteran's Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: D720123-BuffleHead |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Adult female birds at Veterans Park in urban Klamath Falls Oregon. Here, the Klamath River joins Upper Klamath Lake and Lake Ewauna and is called the "Link River". |
Date Taken: 2016:04:25 10:11 |
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Location:
Veteran's Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D729526-BuffleHead-Female |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: (Bucephala albeola) Beeler Creek Ponds in Poway California. San Diego County USA. |
Date Taken: 2018:12:24 13:57 |
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Location:
Beeler Creek Ponds |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: Bufflehead_D5X9036-BeelerPonds_Poway |
| © 2018 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Buffleheads stayed in the deepest sections of the ponds, frustating us photographers. At 6:15am I was the first guest at the preserve and I stayed until 12:30. Bird Viewing Preserve in Henderson, southern Nevada. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:09 9:28 |
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Location:
Bird Viewing Preserve |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: BuffleHead_D5X8022-Henderson-BVP |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Veteran's Park in urban Klamath Falls Oregon. Here, the Klamath River joins Upper Klamath Lake and Lake Ewauna and is called the "Link River". |
Date Taken: 2016:05:05 7:07 |
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Location:
Veteran's Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D720113-BuffleHead |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: (Bucephala albeola) Beeler Creek Ponds in Poway California. San Diego County USA. |
Date Taken: 2018:12:24 13:58 |
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Location:
Beeler Creek Ponds |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: Bufflehead_D5X9043-BeelerPonds_Poway |
| © 2018 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: The Rio Grande Nature Center is one of my favorite locations to visit when I’m in Albuquerque. This was my first winter visit, and it did not disappoint. On this day I found Bufflehead on the water with Ruddy Ducks, Gadwall, Northern Shovelers, Mallards and geese. |
Date Taken: 2020:12:17 12:38 |
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Location:
Rio Grande Nature Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: Bufflehead_D5X8084-RioGrandeNatureCenter-ABQ |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Penasquitos Lagoon in Del Mar, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2014:12:18 9:28 |
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Location:
Los Peñasquitos Lagoon
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: D3X4000-BuffleHead |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
|
Description: Penasquitos Lagoon in Del Mar, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2014:12:18 9:26 |
|
Location:
Los Peñasquitos Lagoon
|
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: D3X3938-BuffleHead |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: The channel behind Umpqua Triangle Oysters in Winchester Bay (Oregon), treated me to Bufflehead and Horned Grebes. |
Date Taken: 2022:04:01 12:10 |
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Location:
Winchester Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/800 |
File Name: Bufflehead_8509378-WinchesterBay |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Small diving ducks ranged over all quadrants of the deeper waters in the harbor. Waterfowl and shorebirds were the objects of my affection during the half-day I spent exploring Bodega Bay. |
Date Taken: 2022:03:06 11:40 |
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Location:
Bodega Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: Bufflehead_8503542-BodegaBay |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: The channel behind Umpqua Triangle Oysters in Winchester Bay (Oregon), treated me to Bufflehead and Horned Grebes. |
Date Taken: 2022:04:01 12:03 |
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Location:
Winchester Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/800 |
File Name: Bufflehead_8509370-WinchesterBay |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Small diving ducks ranged over all quadrants of the deeper waters in the harbor. Waterfowl and shorebirds were the objects of my affection during the half-day I spent exploring Bodega Bay. |
Date Taken: 2022:03:06 11:27 |
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Location:
Bodega Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: Bufflehead_8503329-BodegaBay |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
|
Description: Small diving ducks ranged over all quadrants of the deeper waters in the harbor. Waterfowl and shorebirds were the objects of my affection during the half-day I spent exploring Bodega Bay. |
Date Taken: 2022:03:06 11:27 |
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Location:
Bodega Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: Bufflehead_8503325-BodegaBay |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: This meeting took place at the southern reaches of Morro Bay. One of my favorite regions to explore is California’s central coast. Bufflehead and Scaup (Greater, I believe) congregated near the shore. |
Date Taken: 2022:03:01 9:04 |
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Location:
Morro Bay Water Access |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: BuffleHead_8500829-MorroBay |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: There were good numbers of Bufflehead rafting on Charlie Lake, north of Saint John British Columbia, but only a few ventured near enough to attempt pictures. |
Date Taken: 2022:06:03 10:33 |
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Location:
Charlie Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: Bufflehead_8506649-CharlieLake.BC_ |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: There were good numbers of Bufflehead rafting on Charlie Lake, north of Saint John British Columbia, but only a few ventured near enough to attempt pictures. |
Date Taken: 2022:06:03 10:32 |
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Location:
Charlie Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/6400 |
File Name: Bufflehead_8506621-CharlieLake.BC_ |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: My get-a-way drive from Yellowstone National Park carried me along the Yellowstone River. When I spotted a sizable waterfowl raft, I had to stop and visit them for a while. |
Date Taken: 2022:05:15 10:20 |
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Location:
Yellowstone River |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/4000 |
File Name: Bufflehead_8500925-YellowstoneRiver |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
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Description: Driving north out of California, the first river-crossing in Oregon is the Winchuck River. I stopped a while there and found these shy Buffleheads with a pair of Hooded Mergansers. |
Date Taken: 2022:03:24 11:34 |
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Location:
Winchuck River Mouth |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/800 |
File Name: Bufflehead_8506832-WinchuckRiverMouth |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola) |
|
Description: Driving north out of California, the first river-crossing in Oregon is the Winchuck River. I stopped a while there and found these shy Buffleheads with a pair of Hooded Mergansers. |
Date Taken: 2022:03:24 11:33 |
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Location:
Winchuck River Mouth |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/800 |
File Name: Bufflehead_8506808-WinchuckRiverMouth |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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