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Scoters to far to Id




Hi Carolinabirders,
	I was interested in Chris Hill's comments on Bob Perkins post of an id of
a White-winged Scoter amid a group of other scoters that he couldn't id. My
experience is that both flying scoters and rafts of distant scoters are
difficult to id.  The easiest to identify is a flying White-winged with the
white secondaries. Iding other distant flying scoters especially in poor
light is not at all easy.  What I look for is an orange knob of the Black
male or the white lower face pattern of the female black or the white
patches on the edge of the head of the Surf. However, in immature plumage
all three have rather subtle differences which can be indiscernible in
flight or bobing on the water in less than calm seas (especially with their
heads tucked in).  To me getting bill shape on a flying scoter is almost
impossible. I'm in awe of those who can id a scoter flying diagonally away
from them!
	There is no conflict between Chris' id and Bob's lack of an id.  Chris
Hill with long experience with all three species id'd birds on the water in
rafts an easier task and Bob who is a careful and fairly new birder should
be applauded for not reaching and pinning a name on flying birds he really
couldn't identify.
	"Status and Distribution of SC Birds" notes that Black is an abundant
winter species, and Surf and White-winged are uncommon. The data from the
30 years of the Litchfield-Pawleys Island CBC show that in most cases Black
Scoter numbers exceed Surf Scoter numbers by about five to one and
White-winged are about half of the Surf Scoter numbers. As a matter of fact
the per party hour numbers for the three species over the thirty years are:
Black Scoter- 0.76
Surf Scoter-  0.16
White-winged Scoter- 0.06
Scoter sp.-1.09 (Three cheers for the folks on the L-PI CBC who readily
admit they couldn't id those distant damn ducks).

Good luck to all compilers and observers on the upcoming CBC's.

Jack











Jack   
Jack Peachey
Conway, SC