The bird was a large dark bird sitting low in the water.The triangular bill
shape was consistent with the scoters and eiders😉. After reviewing field
guides, I believe it is a female Surf Scoter. I didn’t pick up the white nape,
but I didn’t see any white secondaries. The bird had two white spots on the
face (ruling out the eiders😕). The spot at the base of the bill was vertically
oriented rather than elongated horizontally. The spots seemed whiter, like the
adult female depicted in NatGeo, but again, I didn’t see any white in the nape.
I didn’t see feathering on the bill that would be consistent with White-winged.
While I didn’t see some confirming field marks, the shape and placement of the
spots on the face cause me to be confident in a Surf Scoter identification. If
anyone got a picture of a White-winged Scoter, I’m willing to believe it’s a
different bird, since pretty much every species of duck we get in winter was on
the lake.
Sent slowly from Phillip Kite's iPhone
On Oct 27, 2020, at 5:21 PM, Holly Bundock <holly.bundock@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Male? Female?
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a scoter!
Sent from my iPhone
On Oct 27, 2020, at 5:02 PM, Jennifer Miller <foundnatureblog@xxxxxxxxx>I think it looks like a White-winged.
wrote:
Jennifer Miller
Lubbock, TX
(o,o)
/)_)
" "
Email: foundnatureblog@xxxxxxxxx
Blog:
https://foundnature.weebly.com/
On Oct 27, 2020, at 4:35 PM, Brad Shine <sonofshine@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Thanks for posting Phillip. Out here and got on it!
Brad
On Tuesday, October 27, 2020, Phillip S. Kite <lubbockites@xxxxxxx> wrote:
Roads are slushy. I’d watch the bridges etc.
Sent slowly from Phillip Kite's iPhone
On Oct 27, 2020, at 4:06 PM, Holly Bundock <holly.bundock@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Cool! How are the roads?
Sent from my iPhone
On Oct 27, 2020, at 3:55 PM, Phillip S. Kite <lubbockites@xxxxxxx>
wrote:
Lots of ducks on Lake 6, including a scoter. Not sure which one, my
field guides are at the house and, oddly enough, I don’t have a ton of
experience with scoters. Leaning towards Surf Scoter, but don’t ask me
to bet on it.
Sent slowly from Phillip Kite's iPhone
