Over to you…
…on a Monday morning to identify this bird: Species, sex and age. It’s not too tricky but this species in this plumage has not yet been identified anywhere in Europe. Do you know what it is and importantly how to identity it if you thought you had one? Tricky but not impossible… Might even be one somewhere in Britain/ W. Europe right now.
Hi Martin,
With recent events in A/deenshire & elsewhere in western Europe I think an updated Frontiers in Birding is called for! :>)
As for your scoter shot I will make a stab at female WW Scoter (you left a clue in the exif detail to say it was an imm female but not which species).
I was particuarly interested in seeing what appeared to be a small amount of greenish yellow running along the bill ala fem Black Scoter.
Although I have seen thousands of Common’s & Velvet’s over the years as well as dozen’s of Surfer’s my knowledge of WW & Black is down to just one bird each, both in Aberdeenshire!
It is blogs like yours that keep us alert to what is out there.
Respect & keep up the good work
CS
Intriqued by the bill I had a look online at other fem and immature ww scoter and although very limited in the numbers of images involved none seemed to show yellowish green on the bill like your bird.
Therfor was this just a trick of the light and thus a photo effect or can fem ww Scoter show a similar bill pattern to fem Black?
Over to you Martin!
hi Calum
well done and I don’t know- guess it’s just a trick of the light as you suggest. Ta for the comments. If you ever get a chance to visit BC in winter or Oregon- somewhere like that- the numbers of wintering wildfowl is phenomenal
Martin
I’m going to go with imm female Stejenger’s Scoter based on the head shape and amount of feathering on the top of the bill.
Hi Scott,
hope it makes sense why its WW Scoter and not Stejneger’s- thanks for having a go
Martin