male and female Common Goldeneye
The Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) is a medium-sized duck occurring in northern Europe, northern Russia, Canada, and the northern United States. The birds breed in the taiga, but migrate further south during the winter months. They are mostly seen on larger lakes and slow-flowing rivers as well as in coastal waters. Their diet consists mainly of animals caught in the water, including crustaceans, aquatic insects, and molluscs. In parts of northern Germany, the Common Goldeneye occurs throughout the year and I see these pretty birds quite regularly. Unfortunately, they seem to be somewhat shy and always keep their distance… let’s see when I will be lucky enough to get a real close-up photograph!
male Common Goldeneye
male Common Goldeneye
female Common Goldeneye
male Common Goldeneye
male Common Goldeneye
female Common Goldeneye
Common Goldeneye among a group of Eurasian Coots
a pair
male Common Goldeneye
Matt Travels 
Love the last photo – not sure who is watching who!
hehe, I know what you mean, but I wonder whether this was some kind of courtship display?
Ooh good thought…..maybe.
Lovely ducks on a beautiful body of water. Is this a very large lake?
most of the photos are actually from a bay of the Baltic Sea, only the three photos where the water appears slighty greenish-brown are from a small stream a few hundred metres from where it flows into the ocean…
I love watching the males mating displays – flipping their heads back and calling out. We have them here locally during the winter until they fly north to their breeding grounds. Great fun as the winter wears on and the males start trying to attract a mate.
thanks for sharing! maybe I have to look more carefully next time I see them…
The picture are really good! I love the last one! 🙂
thanks a lot!! 🙂