ML644151720

Observation details

High but not unprecedented numbers at this location. All in a raft on the river downstream from the park, where Coles Creek enters the river. Unidentifiable when on the water, but periodically groups of varying sizes would lift off the river and fly upstream, sometimes passing by the park where I could get a decent look, before they turned around and returned to the main raft. Every scoter I saw in these flocks was a BLSC, the great majority of them adult males (probably 80% or more). At one point three large groups were in the air at once, and I counted (by 5s and 10s) 520 in the air. I'm not sure if this was the entire raft but I think so as I did not notice any birds on the water at the time. I have seen this exact behavior before when large numbers of BLSC are at this location.