A not-so-long tail

  

Birders have been reporting two Long-tailed Ducks (Clangula hyemalis) in Bodega Harbor near Porto Bodega, so I swung by there this afternoon (13 January 2021) after a stop at the post office.  They weren't too hard to find, but they were a little distant, so this is the best photo I have.  Long-tailed Ducks are rare winter visitors to this area.  (Males have very long tails when in breeding plumage.)

My eyes were also drawn to some intriguing patterns on the surface of the water close to shore.  [You can click on the image for a larger version.]