The 7 Common Goldeneye (3 drakes; 4 hens) found by Steve Fasciana earlier in the afternoon at Lake Musconetcong were still view-able at 4 p.m., this time looking Northeast from the end of Water Street in Netcong. These are the first Common Goldeneyes reported in Morris County in 2012.

American Wigeon have been reappearing. 25 were at Mt. Hope Lake on Sunday. A few showed up at Lake Parsippany today. Also today at Lake Parsippany were 41 Lesser Scaup and a high count for the year of 102 Gadwall. The previous high was 74 on Feb. 8 so nearly 30 more have come into the lake in the last few days. Common and Hooded Merganser numbers have been steady – the same with Ring-necked Ducks (46 in Chatham; 43 at Pleasant Plains Rd., Great Swamp). Northern Pintail have been seen here and there. Interestingly, a species that is usually a mainstay of open water in the winter in Morris County but is strangely absent from many places this winter: does anyone know where the Ruddy Ducks are?

Submitted by Jonathan Klizas