When an eBird report turned up a rare Common Goldeneye bird just north of the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, I asked Rich if he had any errands to run in Apopka. Turns out he did. So we stopped by the pond and found…not much. A few Hooded Mergansers. Some Lesser Scaup. To add insult to photographic injury, the birds were all backlit. I took a few quick snaps and then we stopped at the Magnolia Park boat ramp for sunset.

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again! After my next trip to the wildlife drive, I returned to the small park. This time both light and luck were on my side. I found the Common Goldeneye mixed in with a small flock of Hooded Mergansers. The hoodies showed off for my camera while the Common Goldeneye showed me her golden eye.

The surprise bonus to the visit was the small flock of Buffleheads swimming on the far side of the pond. Buffleheads are regular visitors to Florida in the wintertime, although they aren’t as easy to find as other wintering ducks. This flock included a couple of male birds, who I’ve only seen once before. They are skittish birds and didn’t let me get close looks, but I certainly left with a big smile on my face!