ML269396441

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

**Rare and untimely. A black duck with a orange and white bill with a round dark spot near the base, no white near the eye or on the wing. Bill very distinctive of male Surf Scoter, but the bird lacked a white forehead patch and mostly or wholly lacked white on the nape; I therefore think it's an immature. Blue eye. Photos include a general side view, back of the head possibly showing a trace of white; front view, no white on forehead, flight shot, no white on wings; rearing up to flap with head level or up. I have more photos but I think these represent what can be seen in them. I was near the Harbor School and spotted a black duck off Castle Williams, who moved quickly with the tide to where I was and about 20 yards offshore, and I trotted south along the shore following it, nearly to Outlook Hill, at which point it flew a hundred or so yards out and then continued swimming roughly south and I lost it in the waves. It did not dive while I watched it, only swam and a couple of times reared up and beat its wings.

Technical information

Model

DMC-GX7

ISO

200

Focal length

300 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/6.3

Shutter speed

1/500 sec

Dimensions

1359 pixels x 1359 pixels

Original file size

1.39 MB