Two afternoons ago I visited Canal Park in Duluth a bit before sundown. The Goldeneyes were using the only ice free water for miles around to feed. It suddenly dawned on me why this particular afternoon the birds did not spook (often they fly quickly away from me). Remember these birds are “sight feeders” under water. In the winter in northern Minnesota the sun is rather low in the sky, particularly in the afternoon. There is a period of about one hour where the setting sun shines right down the canal, and underwater … setting up good conditions for the Goldeneyes to see underwater. My side of the canal was bathed in sunlight, while the South Pier was not. I now understand why the ducks put up with my presence. Food on a cold day is a good motivator.

Goldeneyes at Canal Park (total flock exceeded 300 birds)

The changed the photo parameters to better capture the number of ducks