Common Goldeneye

Bucephala clangula

This is a normal, albeit uncommon, winter resident that is regularly found in the Pribilofs through early spring. They become less common by the end of May and are rarely encountered after early June with only sparing reports after June 5th. There are just four records of individuals lingering into summer and even fewer records of summer arrivals for this species, which is well known to migrate early in the spring and late in the fall. An abnormally early fall record from August exists with no other records prior to the end of September. They are typically not located before early October in the fall with increased numbers of migrants and winter residents likely reaching the islands from late October to mid-November. Double digit counts during the winter have not come until early March with the winter sea ice certainly impacting on regularity and numbers.

Photo by Nat Drumheller