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Back on April 14, Mark Gawn of Ottawa located a scarce Ruddy Duck on Lake Dore. This western duck occasionally passes through our area during the spring and fall migrations but is normally seen only by one or two birders before it flies off. This time, the bird remained in the area and many local birders got to observe this bird and add it to their lists. This bird has been seen a few times over the years in our area; the last time was in 2020 seen by Christian Renault.
The Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaiccuis) is a small duck of only 14-16 inches. It is a diving duck that likes to frequent freshwater lakes and ponds during the summer and salty bays in the winter.