mystery bird

[GOcougsHunter]

Forgive my lack of knowledge, but does anyone know what kind of bird this is?  I've looked thourgh DU's identification lists and I don't see this on any of the lists.  Would love to know what these were.

[BC CHASER]

Look like ruddy ducks. 

[rasbo]

look like young buffles ,Dont ruddys have a blue beak

[GOcougsHunter]

The ruddy male has a blue bill and the femles don't have the white patch on the cheek

[BC CHASER]

your right Ras.

[Ray]

Female or young bufflehead?

[Ray]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bucephala-albeola-010.jpg

[BC CHASER]

http://www.pbase.com/rosemarygallinger/image/82207257

[GOcougsHunter]

Thanks guys...  probably a bufflehead, they just seemed to be too big to be a bufflehead and the eclipse plummage threw me off.  Was hoping it was some new species and I would make a ton of money off the pictures...  

[washingtonmuley]

Harlequin

[Birdguy]

 
I believe washingtonmuley has it right. Summer plumage harlequin. Not much of a duck guy more pheasant but I am pretty sure. Where was the picture taken?

[WABONEHNTR]

Female hari.

[teal101]

Yep female harlequin duck

[GOcougsHunter]

WashingtonMuley. Thanks...  The picture was taken up the Queets.  They appeared to be about the size of a small Brant.  Further looking on other sites confirms it..  Thanks!  This was was my first (obviously) run in with a wild Harlequin herd.   Too bad it was in ONP.

[Gun N Run]

the size of a brant? They are quite a bit smaller than brant.

I've seen them in the spring on whites pass. Fun to watch in the whitewater.