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Male Surf Scoter at Albany Bulb
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blofbern1
Yesterday afternoon around 4 PM I saw a male Surf Scoter in very shallow, sheltered water just inland from the large driftwood sculptures. The time of year and the setting both seemed unusual.
Ken Berniker El Cerrito
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cwells2073@...
While this seems unusual I am beginning to think this is normal. I saw a male and female scoter pair in this same location on July8th of last year and a group of 5 males at sunset in this spot on July 28th of this year. One of the males had most of the secondary flight feathers on its right wing missing and the vanes on the primaries looked pretty much useless. I was thinking maybe it was the victim of a shark or seal attack but I am finding out that this is the time of year that scoters typically molt their flight feathers. Perhaps this is a refuge they are using annually during this vulnerable molting period? Does anyone know the flight feather molting pattern of a scoter? Do they lose one wing at a time?
Charlie Wells Oakland
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Michael Carnall
There is a group of scoters that seem to be permanent residents near Brooks Island. I kayak in the area regularly and have noted them in July as early as 2013. Mike Carnall Point Richmond
On Monday, August 10, 2020, 10:59:32 AM PDT, cwells2073@... <cwells2073@...> wrote:
While this seems unusual I am beginning to think this is normal. I saw a male and female scoter pair in this same location on July8th of last year and a group of 5 males at sunset in this spot on July 28th of this year. One of the males had most of the secondary flight feathers on its right wing missing and the vanes on the primaries looked pretty much useless. I was thinking maybe it was the victim of a shark or seal attack but I am finding out that this is the time of year that scoters typically molt their flight feathers. Perhaps this is a refuge they are using annually during this vulnerable molting period? Does anyone know the flight feather molting pattern of a scoter? Do they lose one wing at a time? Charlie Wells Oakland
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Edward Tanovitz
I saw one male very close to shore near Trader vics in Emeryville in late July.
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While I'm not familiar with the molting pattern of Surf Scoters, the attached photo was taken (from a distance) of one of the males at Albany Bulb last Thursday evening, Aug. 6th, in case it helps. I thought it unusual to see the Scoters on land. Best, Carla
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Fred Werner
An adult male Surf Scoter was on land next to a female Greater Scaup at the Albany Bulb on July 24. Photos and links to videos in the eBird list: https://ebird.org/checklist/S71795274 Apologies for the late addition to this thread. I was intrigued to see the Scaup and Scoter so close, but didn't think there was anything unusual about Scoters there even on land, even this time of year. That week and earlier, there was much discussion on this list about Greater vs. Lesser Scaups. So I was more focused on trying to distinguish the three scaups I saw: two seemed clearly Greater, one seemed clearly Lesser. Photos / videos of those are also on that eBird list. - Fred Fred Werner Berkeley
I saw one male very close to shore near Trader vics in Emeryville in late July.
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