San Diego Bird Finding: Common Goldeneye

Common Goldeneye. Imperial Beach, California. February 7, 2015. Greg Gillson.

It's a half mile walk northeast down the Bayshore Bikeway at 13th Street in Imperial Beach (site guide here) to the Salt Works Pond #20. But that's what it takes to find Common Goldeneye in winter in San Diego.

Single birds show up (often one-day-wonders) at ponds or in the bay every winter somewhere in San Diego County. But this is currently the only consistent location for multiple long-staying birds. Most are female or immature types, as in the distant documentation photo above.