Rare Bird Report 26-B-08

IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE

RARE BIRD REPORT FORM

SPECIES:  

Black Scoter

HOW MANY:

One

REPORTER:  

Bob Davis

REPORTER EMAIL:  

rhdavis@srv.net

OTHER OBSERVERS:

Bob ? a birder from Utah visiting family in Pocatello.  I also showed the scoters to Brian Nelson, a new birder I ran into at the fish hatchery.

DATE REPORT PREPARED:  

11/15/08

DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED:  

11/14/08

LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION:

Snake River below American Falls dam.  Seen from the cemetery on the left bank and from the bluffs upstream of the fish hatchery on the right bank.

HABITAT:

Riverine

CONDITIONS:

Observed for > 30 minutes off and on.  Weather was cold (35 F), clear and calm.  Distance to bird was about 300 yards, it was on the right side of the  river. Sun was to my back at the cemetery and to also to my back later in the day at the fish hatchery.  Optics included Zeiss Diascope 85 spotting scope with 20-60 zoom eyepiece and Sony D1 digital camera.

DID YOU TAKE NOTES?:  

No, not at all

DID YOU CONSULT FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCES?:  

Yes, during the observation

WHAT GUIDE(S) OR REFERENCE(S) DID YOU CONSULT?:

NGS 3rd edition, and Sibley Guide to Birds 1st Edition.

DESCRIPTION:  

Mostly black duck with steep forehead, large whitish cheek patch. The dark cap runs down the nape separating the cheek patches. No other plumage characteristics noted.

BEHAVIOR:  

Loafing, actively swimming, diving, associating with 3 surf scoters.

HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU?

ID'd on the spot, immediately recognized as a scoter; after consulting field guide it was pretty obviously a female plumaged black scoter.  Note the large white cheek patch and steep forehead in the photos.

HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY?

The other scoters were possible but it was clearly not a surf or WW scoter; see the slope of the forehead and the double white spots on those scoters.

EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES):  

 I saw the one in Idaho in 1996.

GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE:  

 Birding about a dozen years, intermediate level expertise.

WERE PHOTO(S), VIDEO, AND/OR AUDIO OBTAINED BY YOU?:  

 Photo

with Bufflehead

The  next three show the Black Scoter with Surf Scoters