Birders,
Last Friday I watched, in very poor light, a duck (or alcid?) riding the surf
30 yards north of Rudee Inlet in Virginia Beach. It appeared dark, small,
with some sort of light facial marking (on the face? on the bill?). It seemed
to
have a short, pointed tail, little or no neck, and it rested its bill on its
breast. The bill appeared long. It let the waves crash right over it. It did
not dive to avoid them, but came up on the other side each time. I'd have
thought it was a decoy if it had not turned its head sometimes.
My first thought was common eider, but it seemed too small. My second thought
was razorbill, though I didn't see contrasting dark above and white below.
Any thoughts as to what bird plays in the surf that way?
Also at or near Rudee Inlet:
Red-breasted merganser
Common loon
Clapper rail
dozens of d.c. cormorants (no great)
bufflehead
Dave
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