ML247955921

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

Probably an early migrant. Unsure of age and sex. Either a molting female or an immature bird. Seen in the back of the larger bay to the north of the state park beach. Originally IDed in the field as a Greater Scaup, although White-winged Scoter was brought up in the discussion of an ID as we got closer and closer to the bird in the boat. I took phone scoped photos of the bird and after reviewing the photos and posting them to the "What's this bird?" facebook group, it was determined to be a WWSC by multiple other reputable birders. Bill gets shallower towards the tip with a slight hump towards the base of the bill and met the birds head in a seamless slope. When I first saw the bird it was swimming away from me and I could see a fair amount of white on a wing patch mostly hidden in the bird's folded wings. Darker head with a lighter mottled brown body. The main field mark that differentiates this bird from a Scaup sp. besides head shape is the extension of feathers past on the upper mandible past the base of the lower mandible.

Technical information

Model

LM-X210APM

ISO

50

Focal length

3.1 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire, auto

f-stop

f/2.4

Shutter speed

1/253 sec

Dimensions

711 pixels x 471 pixels

Original file size

88.05 KB