This afternoon (1 April), I found an apparent hybrid Common Goldeneye X Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula X B. islandica) in the Duluth Harbor, between 32nd and 33rd Street on Park Point. The bird showed an intermediate head shape and intermediate facial marking, with a reduced amount of black on its scapulars and a row of white rhomboidal spots that resembled those found on Barrow's. At the same time, it completely lacked the black shoulder spur of Barrow's, and the extent and shape of the black on its posterior flanks and crissum appeared identical to that of the male Common Goldeneyes. Its bill was stubby in shape and smaller than the bill of adjacent Commons, i.e., its bill was more like Barrow's. Its facial mark was teardrop-shaped (neither rounded like Common nor crescent-shaped like Barrow's) and the superior aspect of this white facial mark did not rise to the level of the bird's eye. The bird was found amongst a flock of approximately 2,700 diving ducks (including 100s of goldeneyes), so it may be difficult to refind. Note that I was unable to refind the male Barrow's Goldeneye today (last seen in the harbor 22 March), so could not directly compare the hybrid to the Barrow's that has overwintered in Duluth since its discovery 19 November 2011. This is the third consecutive year that an apparent hybrid between these two species has been documented in Duluth, and the fourth record of this taxon for Minnesota. The first was documented by the late Jim Mattsson at Point Douglas, Washington County, 1 January 2008. Previous Duluth records were 2 February 2010 (Loon 82:111) and 27 November-19 December 2010 (Loon 83:108). An article documenting these Minnesota records and summarizing reports of this hybrid in North America was published in The Loon 82:147-150. -- Peder H. Svingen Duluth, MN [log in to unmask] ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html