Here are some hard-won photos of the Common Pochard, found by Jeff Allen about 10 days ago. When we arrived after a six-hour drive, we learned it had not been seen all morning, and it was not until we returned to our hotel at 3:30 that the call came that Todd Easterla had relocated it across highway 101. We blasted back in time for it to disappear again. Thursday am it was not immediately evident, but finally we were convinced we glimpsed it in the far northern pond. Slowly the flock moved our away and the distinct "white flag" of the bill and black base became visible. Finally it paused in glorious sunlight: