Common Goldeneyes

Bucephala clangula

Common Goldeneyes are medium sized diving ducks with large heads with small, narrow bills. Males in breeding plumage are black and white with round white spots near their bills, bright yellow eyes and greenish heads, females have brown heads, bills with a yellow tip and gray backs and wings.

Drake Common Goldeneyes In Winter

By |2024-02-27T04:35:30-07:00February 27th, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Common Goldeneyes, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I took this photo of two drake Common Goldeneyes at Bear River MBR almost two years ago, I was laughing as I hit my shutter button. I couldn't help myself.

What Happened To Winter In The Salt Lake Valley?

By |2024-02-22T04:56:12-07:00February 22nd, 2024|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It is almost the end of February and I'm wondering what happened to winter this year in the Salt Lake Valley. Has winter gone on walkabout? Where is the snow?

Drake Common Goldeneye Landing

By |2023-12-10T04:22:49-07:00December 10th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today, I am sharing a simple photo of a drake Common Goldeneye coming in to land on my local pond early in the morning. I took this image a few days ago.

First Of Season Common Goldeneye

By |2023-11-28T04:33:03-07:00November 28th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Three days ago, I found my first-of-season Common Goldeneye drake at my local pond. I didn't have my camera with me, so I wasn't able to photograph him.

Great Goldeneye-Merganser Showdown: Who Won the Shad?

By |2023-02-15T03:03:56-07:00February 15th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Common Goldeneyes, Common Mergansers, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On my last trip to Bear River MBR I saw and photographed a Goldeneye-Merganser showdown where the prize that was being fought over was a shiny shad.

1st Winter Common Goldeneye Drake With A Crawdad

By |2023-01-22T16:36:28-07:00January 22nd, 2023|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Just a quick post this morning of a photo of a 1st winter Common Goldeneye drake with a crawdad in his bill at my neighborhood pond taken last year.

Immature Male Common Goldeneye And Catfish

By |2022-12-16T05:45:37-07:00December 16th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, San Juan County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On this day two years ago, I photographed this immature male Common Goldeneye with a catfish at the pond in my neighborhood. It was a chilly, wintry afternoon.

My First Of Season Common Goldeneye

By |2023-10-01T03:02:00-06:00November 12th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Common Goldeneyes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I found my first of season Common Goldeneye near a stand of rushes while walking around a local pond after a light skiff of snow had fallen overnight.

Drake Common Goldeneye Close Up Photos

By |2022-02-01T05:24:40-07:00February 1st, 2022|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week while going through photos I had taken last year I came across three drake Common Goldeneye close up photos that I wanted to share. 

First Winter Common Goldeneye Drake Images

By |2022-02-01T05:17:05-07:00January 24th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two days ago I spent a lot of time focused on a first winter Common Goldeneye drake as he swam, foraged, and ate at an urban pond close to home.

The Tail End of 2021 – My Year End Report

By |2021-12-31T06:12:07-07:00December 31st, 2021|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

As the tail end of 2021 comes to a close it seemed fitting that the last photo I took yesterday was the tail end of a Common Goldeneye on what might have been my last trip into the field this year.

Christmas Day Birds 2021

By |2021-12-26T05:18:25-07:00December 26th, 2021|Categories: American Coots, Birds, California Gulls, Common Goldeneyes, Great Blue Herons, Great-tailed Grackles, Mallards, Rough-legged Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I did get out to find and photograph birds on Christmas Day at Farmington Bay WMA and then later in the morning I found more closer to home.

Photographing Winter Birds

By |2024-03-13T06:24:03-06:00January 15th, 2021|Categories: American Coots, Bald Eagles, Birds, Black-crowned Night Herons, Canvasbacks, Common Goldeneyes, Common Mergansers, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Great-tailed Grackles, Mallards, Pied-billed Grebes, Redheads, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I spent a couple of hours yesterday photographing winter birds at Farmington Bay WMA and closer to home in the morning and afternoon.

Common Goldeneye Making Waves

By |2021-01-07T06:15:56-07:00January 7th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Common Goldeneyes, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning I took a series of a Common Goldeneye making waves as he landed in icy cold water in the marshes of Bear River MBR.

Christmas Day Bird Photos Thru The Years

By |2024-03-05T14:21:20-07:00December 25th, 2020|Categories: Bald Eagles, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Common Goldeneyes, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Golden Eagles, Long-eared Owls, Pied-billed Grebes, Pinellas County, Red-tailed Hawks, Roseate Spoonbills, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today I wanted to share some of the Christmas Day bird photos I have taken through the years out in the field and close to home.

Drake Common Goldeneye With Pigment Issues On His Bill

By |2021-12-11T05:38:59-07:00December 13th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I got back home and uploaded the images I took of the drake Common Goldeneye I could see that his bill had pigment issues and that it wasn't a white feather stuck on his bill.

Landing Drake Common Goldeneye

By |2022-02-01T05:30:23-07:00November 29th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I'm anxious to start photographing the ducks I see close to home during the winter here in the Salt Lake Valley and from what I understand a few Common Goldeneyes have shown up.

Winter Has Arrived Along With Many Opportunities To Photograph Birds

By |2024-01-17T09:16:10-07:00November 9th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Hooded Mergansers, Ring-billed Gulls, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When the weather turns colder, the clouds gather, and the snow falls I still have plenty of birds to photograph here in northern Utah.

Common Merganser With A First Winter Common Goldeneye Drake

By |2024-03-13T06:33:04-06:00January 26th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Common Mergansers, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I found it interesting to see a first winter drake Common Goldeneye swimming with a first winter Common Merganser and decided to photograph them.

Photographing Drake Common Goldeneyes In A Territorial Dispute

By |2022-02-01T05:35:33-07:00January 14th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday afternoon I was thrilled to be able to photograph two adult drake Common Goldeneyes in a territorial dispute on a pond as they moved across my field of view.

Drake Common Goldeneye In Flight During The “Golden Hour”

By |2022-02-01T05:37:37-07:00December 12th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I'm grateful when I can photograph a drake Common Goldeneye in flight during the "Golden Hour" or any other bird I see through my viewfinder.

Drake Common Goldeneye Flapping His Wings On The Jordan River

By |2022-02-01T05:41:06-07:00February 2nd, 2019|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Jordan River Parkway Trail, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

During the winter I'm able to see some of the ducks that I don't see during the breeding season here in northern Utah on the Jordan River including Common Goldeneyes.

Photographing A Common Goldeneye Drake While Breaking Some Rules

By |2022-02-01T05:44:15-07:00January 6th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

By sharing these photos today my intention is to show that there are times when photographic rules can be broken because the appeal of images or the lack of appeal is all about the individual tastes of the photographer taking the photos and those of the people that view them.

Hen Common Goldeneyes In Flight And This Site Is On The Wing Too

By |2022-02-01T05:47:47-07:00December 27th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Snow and clouds are in the forecast for today and I have decided that today is the day for me to migrate On The Wing Photography over to the new server that I mentioned a while back.

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First Winter Common Goldeneye Drake Mid-dive In Northern Utah

By |2021-07-02T09:01:58-06:00December 12th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Salt Lake County, Swans, Ducks and Geese, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I like this image because I was able to capture the eye of this diving first winter drake Common Goldeneye just as it is about to go below the surface of the pond but I also like what is going on with the water in this frame too.

Drake Common Goldeneyes In A Brief Territorial Dispute

By |2021-12-31T05:55:11-07:00November 26th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Salt Lake County, Swans, Ducks and Geese, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The drake Common Goldeneyes didn't have any physical contact that I could see because that often happens under the water but the drake in the back seemed intent on making the one in the front leave the area.

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