Barrow's Goldeneye pair

I was thrilled to get close enough to not only get a good view but also to get a reasonable shot or two of this beautiful pair of Barrow's Goldeneyes two days ago. Usually when I see this species, they are the far side of the Bow River. Friends Ron and Trish so kindly invited me to go along with them for the day south west and south east of the city, checking out lots of backroads. Ron can find Hawks like I can find Chickadees, ha. It's great to go with people who manage to find all sorts of beautiful birds!

The Barrow's Goldeneye male has a white crescent shape on its face, unlike the Common Goldeneye male which has a small, round, white cheek patch. Also, the black "stripes" between the white stripes on the wings are much wider than on the Common Goldeneye.