Bufflehead:
The Bufflehead is the smallest native diving duck in North America. The name "Bufflehead" is a corruption of the original name "Buffalo Head", a reference to the disproportionately large domed head of the male. Other nicknames for the duck are "Bumblebee Dipper", "Robin Dipper", "Hell-diver", "Spirit Duck", and "Butterball". Lewis and Clark called the duck the "black and white duck". The Bufflehead was first described by Linnaeus in 1758.
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"... The black and white Duck are Small about the Size of the blue-winged teal, or reather larger.
the mail is butifully varigated with black and white.
the white occupies the Side of the head, breast and back.
black the tail, large feathers of the wing, two tufts of feathers which cover the upper part of the wings when folded, the neck and head.
the female is darker or has much less white about her. I take this to be the Same Species of duck common to the ohio, as also the atlantic Coast, and Sometimes called the butter box.
the back is wide and Short, and as well as the legs of a dark Colour.
the flesh of this duck is verry well flavored I think Superior to the Duckinmallard. ..."
[Captain William Clark, March 9, 1806, while at Fort Clatsop]
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Westmoreland Park, Portland, Oregon ...
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Bufflehead, male and female (left image), and female (right image), Westmoreland Park, Portland, Oregon.
Image taken December 5, 2009.
Canon Rebel XSi, 200z w/1.4.
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Bufflehead, male, Westmoreland Park, Portland, Oregon.
Image taken December 5, 2009.
Canon Rebel XSi, 200z w/1.4.
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Click image to enlarge
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Bufflehead, male, Westmoreland Park, Portland, Oregon.
Image taken December 5, 2009.
Canon Rebel XSi, 200z w/1.4.
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Click image to enlarge
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Bufflehead, female, Westmoreland Park, Portland, Oregon.
Image taken December 5, 2009.
Canon Rebel XSi, 200z w/1.4.
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... 2010 ... "diving" ...
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The duck dived 4 times in front of me, and, while I managed three shots of the "tail high" I could only manage the swim by and the re-surfacing once.
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Bufflehead, male, Westmoreland Park, Portland, Oregon.
Overcast, gray, but no rain.
Image taken December 25, 2010.
Canon EOS 40d, 200z.
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Click image to enlarge
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"Diving" ... Bufflehead, male, Westmoreland Park, Portland, Oregon.
Overcast, gray, but no rain.
Image taken December 25, 2010.
Canon EOS 40d, 200z.
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Click image to enlarge
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"Diving" ... Bufflehead, male, Westmoreland Park, Portland, Oregon.
Overcast, gray, but no rain.
Image taken December 25, 2010.
Canon EOS 40d, 200z.
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Click image to enlarge
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"Diving" ... Bufflehead, male, Westmoreland Park, Portland, Oregon.
Overcast, gray, but no rain.
Image taken December 25, 2010.
Canon EOS 40d, 200z.
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Click image to enlarge
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"Underwater" ... Bufflehead, male, Westmoreland Park, Portland, Oregon.
Overcast, gray, but no rain.
Image taken December 25, 2010.
Canon EOS 40d, 200z.
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Click image to enlarge
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"Underwater" ... Bufflehead, male, Westmoreland Park, Portland, Oregon.
Overcast, gray, but no rain.
Image taken December 25, 2010.
Canon EOS 40d, 200z.
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Click image to enlarge
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"Surfacing" ... Bufflehead, male, Westmoreland Park, Portland, Oregon.
Overcast, gray, but no rain.
Image taken December 25, 2010.
Canon EOS 40d, 200z.
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Columbia River at Hayden Island, Oregon ...
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Bufflehead and Lesser and Greater Scaups, Hayden Island, Columbia River upstream I-5 Bridge.
Cold overcast afternoon with occasional sunbreaks.
Image taken November 20, 2010.
Canon EOS 7d, 400mm.
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Saspal Slough, Oregon ...
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Bufflehead, female, Saspal Slough, Oregon.
Image taken February 14, 2008.
Sony Alpha 100, 500mm.
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Ridgefield NWR, Washington ...
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