ML617186287

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

Female hanging out with the big Scoter flock off Little Beach. I got lucky and landed on the bird almost immediately upon scoping the flock, later she became much harder to pick out. It was initially just floating and preening at one edge of the flock, occasionally flapping its wings. Later started diving with groups of scoters. Similar size to scoters, stands out as much paler brown in profile, but harder to spot from a rear view. Buffy brown plumage overall with darker scalloped markings on sides, back and wings. Paler breast and face with a distinct pale crescent where feathering extends out onto the middle of the bill. Pale crescent above the eye, with a thin pale line extending back from that, only visible in some light angles. Crown slightly darker brown. Head gently rounded, with a slightly flattened crown. Bill intermediate in size between surf scoter and black scoter, dark gray with a slightly dished profile. Thin white tips to secondaries and less distinct white tips to greater coverts. It flapped a few times showing dirty whitish underwing coverts and no obvious markings on flight feathers from the underside. When swimming in a relaxed posture in profile view, a small dark brown triangle of feathers extended above the middle of the back.

Technical information

Model

COOLPIX P900

ISO

140

Focal length

285 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/6.3

Shutter speed

1/500 sec

Dimensions

3003 pixels x 2252 pixels

Original file size

3.77 MB