[TN-Bird] Long-tailed Ducks and Surf Scoter
- From: "Ron Hoff" <aves7000@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "TN-bird" <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 23:08:54 -0500
TN-birders,
Chuck & Lola Estes, Dollyann, and I went out to the Concord Marina in west Knox
Co. early this afternoon looking for the recently reported Long-tailed Ducks
seen there. We found the pair out from the center of the marina, across the
water near the railroad tracks on the other side of the embayment. The
beautiful, warm day and great light allowed for gorgeous views. Our scope was
great but you should be able to see them well enough with just binoculars. We
left for a while and came back to try to find a scoter. While I was scoping
through the American Coots, I had the pair of Long-tails fly through my scope
view, heading southwest.
We also looked for the recently reported White-winged Scoter. We saw Chris
Welsh out there and he said he had seen it over by dock “A”. When we went over
there, we found the bird and thought that was it. The light was against the
sun, so we could tell it was a scoter and assumed that was the bird. Chris
later went out in his kayak and took some photos of the scoter. He sent me a
copy this evening and it turned out to be a juvenile, first year SURF SCOTER,
according to the plates in Sibley’s field guide. The feathering on the side of
the beak did not protrude out far enough for it to be a White-winged. Great
catch by Chris!
Another bonus was Chuck and Lola finding 4 Black-crowned Night-Herons perched
on the far side of the aluminum roof rafters, under the roof of dock “A”. There
were 4 adults and Chuck said he saw a juvenile in the same area yesterday. Not
an easy bird to find at times.
Great birding,
Ron Hoff & Dollyann Myers
Clinton, TN
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- » [TN-Bird] Long-tailed Ducks and Surf Scoter - Ron Hoff
