Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2008-34
| Common name: |
Black Scoter |
| Scientific name: | Melanitta nigra |
| Date: | 19 Nov 2008 |
| Time: | 10:30 am |
| Length of time observed: | 5 minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | adult |
| Sex: | female |
| Location: | Lincoln Beach |
| County: | Utah |
| Latilong: | 6 |
| Elevation: | ~4,600 feet |
| Distance to bird: | ~150 feet |
| Optical equipment: | 8x42 binoculars, 20-60x80 Kowa spotting scope, Nikon Coolpix 4500 camera |
| Weather: | sunny with a little haze over the valley |
| Light Conditions: | clear |
| Description: Size of bird: | similar to nearby coots |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | duck shaped |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | gray brown body with black and white head. |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | duck-like |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
The rounded head was black on the upper part starting from just blow the eye and
continuing down the back of the neck in a narrowing strip. The lower part of the
head was whitish except for the area around the bill. This white area continued
a little bit down the side of the neck angling backwards. The mainly
gray-colored bill was slightly hooked at the end and had a very gradual bump in the
middle of the top border with a little bit of yellow which can be seen on the
photos. The duck-shaped body was grayish brown with a small sharp tall protruding at about a 40 degree angle from the rear. (see photos) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | none |
| Behavior: | It was hanging around two American Coots and diving now and then. |
| Habitat: | A shallow part of Utah Lake near the densely vegetated shoreline of a boat jetty. |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
A Ruddy Duck would have a more squared off bill (not hooked) with a concave
culmen (rather than one with a gentle bump in the middle as in this bird) and
would lack any yellow color on the bill. The white on the cheeks would not
extend down the side of the neck. A Surf Scoter would have a more elongated head with a thicker bill, less white on the neck and and isolated white patch at the base of the bill rather than the whole area being white. A White-winged Scoter would have an elongated more squarish head with a more wedge-shaped bill thicker at the base. It would have less white on the head and in two patches rather than the whole bottom half of the head being white. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
I've seen the two other scoters in Utah and many Ruddy Ducks but this one has eluded me until now. |
| References consulted: | The Sibley Guide to Birds |
| Description from: | From memory and examining the photo |
| Observer: | Milton Moody |
| Observer's address: | 2795 Indian Hills Drive, Provo, Utah |
| Observer's e-mail address: | milton@utahbirds.org |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | Leena Rogers was with me on November 19th and several others reported the bird earlier: Dave Hanscom; Lu Giddings, Erich Huish, Ned Bixler, Cheryl Peterson, Dennis Shirley and Bryan Shirley on the 16th and ; Keeli Marvel and Jeff Bilsky on the 18th |
| Date prepared: | 24 Nov 2008 |
| Additional material: | Photos |
| Additional Comments: |