Date: 10/28/25 10:05 am From: Mark Hibberd <markghibberd...> Subject: Re: [Arlington Birds] New Looks at Scoters (Long)
👍
On Tue, Oct 28, 2025 at 6:39 AM 'PAUL ROBERTS' via Arlington Birds <
<arlingtonbirds...> wrote:
> Yesterday I was reminded once again about what makes birding special for
> me. It was a chilly morning at the Mystic Lakes, quiet in every respect.
> The eagle activity was very low key. The Great Egret of the past few days
> was gone and the juvenile Spotted Sandpiper of the past several weeks had
> disappeared as well.
> The highlight, beyond a young, rambunctious little juvenile male
> Cooper's Hawk harassing two Ring-billed Gulls that were larger than him,
> was when I spotted a small diving duck flying north high overhead. No one
> else was really paying much attention when I called it out the first time.
> I shouted diving duck, based on its small size and very rapid wingbeats,
> but it looked all dark underneath and I couldn't figure out what it was. It
> appeared to land in the far reaches of the upper lake, but I could not see
> it. Then I spotted a similar critter flying south high overhead. No better
> looks or ideas this time, mainly watching a duck butt flying south. Minutes
> later I saw it again flying north. Originally I thought it was going to be
> a Bufflehead or possibly a Common Goldeneye, but it clearly was not. No
> white or pale belly was visible. It obviously was not a Wood Duck either. I
> was puzzled. Then I saw it fly north again and got people on it. I got my
> best view yet. Small, all black, including the belly, with a contrasting
> underwing; lighter flight feathers below. Two photographers, one being
> Frank Killoren, caught an orange flash on the bill. Drake Black Scoter. But
> it still seemed smaller and faster than I think Black Scoters are.
> Later Julie and I drove to Plum Island. We visited Lot 7 as a rising
> tide began to cover Emerson Rocks. Juvenile and immature Northern Gannets
> were occasionally approaching close to shore, but there were very few sea
> ducks visible; odd for a day with a northeast wind. But there was a drake,
> 2nd year Surf Scoter not too far offshore, and it was hanging with two
> drake adult White-winged Scoters.
> Every year I appreciate all three scoters more and more, even as they
> become fewer and fewer. In recent years, Black Scoter have often appeared
> to be more abundant than the usual White-winged Scoter. but I've had a
> special fondness for the uniquely colored drake Surf Scoter, or Skunkhead.
> Yesterday, they swam atypically close to shore on the rising tide. Whenever
> they dived and came up with food, they were harassed by juvenile Herring
> Gulls, so they moved around a lot, but I was able to get decent photographs
> with my 125X Nikon P1100, often with two mixed drakes swimming together.
> Shortly before we left I had a large very distant flock of Black Scoter
> flying low over the water from the north, looking disorderly, like a
> massive jail break.
> Returning home I went to *The Crossley ID Guide:Waterfowl, *which
> I think to be the richest recent guide to waterfowl, with abundant photos
> and great text. What struck me this time was that Black Scoter average just
> above 2 lbs, with Surf Scoter about 10% heavier and White-winged Scoter
> roughly 50% heavier. Then the light dawned. I realized that I can't recall
> ever having Black Scoter, especially a lone drake, flying high directly
> over me like the duck yesterday morning. It is somewhat larger than a Wood
> Duck, but was flying higher than I usually see Wood Ducks, or obviously
> even the much smaller Bufflehead or the Common Goldeneye, which is about
> the same mass as the Black Scoter.
> All three scoter in one late October day. Not unusual, but a learning
> experience. I am also fascinated because scoter are raised in freshwater
> environments. When they winter on saltwater, they change their prey and
> their body has to adjust to treat the radically new intake of salt in their
> diet. Talk about having to grow up quickly......
>
> Best,
> Paul
>
> Paul M. Roberts
> Medford, MA
> <phawk254...>
>
> --
> Group home page:
> https://menotomybirdclub.com/ > ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Arlington Birds" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to arlingtonbirds+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion visit
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/arlingtonbirds/<1222116969.294020.1761647953438...> > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/arlingtonbirds/<1222116969.294020.1761647953438...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > .
>
