Picked up Hooded Mergansers, Gadwall, and Cinnamon and Green-winged Teal and more today - Santa Fe County, 2/22/15

Took a quick run over to a couple local golf courses this past Monday where there is still plenty of open water on the ponds. The number of ducks is increasing, but I was surprised to find a small flock of five cinnamon teal. Despite the warm weather recently it's a bit early for these gorgeous animals. 

Cinnamon Teal at Las Campanas Golf Club

My main goal was to find a hooded merganser that had been reported from here on Ebirds recently. After a quick search of the ducks on the largest pond I spotted a male hooded merganser. I started to take a bunch of pics and noticed that it was with a female. The other assortment of ducks, mostly buffleheads, took off and so did the two hoodies. Hooded mergs are rare in Santa Fe County and I don't recall reports of two together. A bit later I headed over to another golf course and found yet another female hooded merganser - three in one day!

Pair of hoodies at Las Campanas Golf Club

Besides the hoodies and cinnamon teal I picked up two other year birds, gadwall and green-winged teal. That brings my Santa Fe County year list to 86 species which finally puts me at number one. I missed over a week in January because I was in Africa!