What great ducks Surf Scoters are. I'm not a huge fan of ducks in general, the best ones in the UK tend to be extreme vagrants whilst the rest are, well, uninspiring. Unlike the March 2007 visit there were no point blank Surfies at Moss Landing and I really struggled to get close to any this time round, the set below are from Monterey Harbour, with the exception of the two females together which are from Moss Landing, and are fairly high crops. Drakes are distinctive ducks however check out the females and the juvenile below and compare head patterns with the White-winged Scoters, the American counterpart of Velvet Scoter.
Without doubt the most impressive aspect of watching the Surf Scoters were not the scoping filling views at Monterey Harbour but the sheer numbers of the birds at Mitchell, just south of Bodega Bay. Literally thousands of birds here, fairly distant true but a spectacle non the less.
California - November 2009
Wildfowl - Ducks: page 2
Canada Geese
Black Brant
White-fronted Geese
Snow Geese
Wood Duck
American Wigeon
Canvasback
Lesser Scaup
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Bufflehead
Juvenile Surf Scoters are, well, unattractive looking birds when compared with the adult drakes
Female Surf Scoters, Moss Landing. Note the shape, extent and position of the whitish spots on the head compared with the female White-winged Scoter below.
Female White-winged Scoter, above and below are the same bird. Uncommon and only seen amongst the Surf Scoter flock at Mitchell and in Bodega Bay Harbour, where this bird was photographed. Note the size and position of the white spots on the head though obviously the white line across the wing is a give away.
Bufflehead. Common and widely encountered, often in large numbers on the coast and at the larger inland areas of water, i.e. Lake Merrit and the Salton Sea. There was a good 350+ strong flock in Bodega Bay Harbour which were using a deep water channel on the incoming late afternoon tides for fishing which allowed for the best photographic opportunities. All of the photos here are from this locations and taken from the car.