#black scoter

[na-bird-of-the-day]

BOTD: Black Scoter

Photo: Ashley M Bradford

"Was once called 'Common Scoter,' but that name is now restricted to a similar species in the Old World. The Black Scoter is generally seen less often than the other two kinds of scoters in most parts of North America. Floats rather buoyantly on water, often with tail cocked up noticeably. On northern waters, more vocal than the other two scoters, giving clear whistled calls."

- Audubon Field Guide

[alonglistofbirds]

[863/10,977] Black Scoter - Melanitta americana

Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae (ducks, geese and swans) Subfamily: Anatinae (dabbling ducks)

Photo credit: David Turgeon via Macaulay Library

[keywestwildlifecenter]

Thanks to the anonymous new Key West resident who called to report this Black Scoter down with a wing injury at Cow Key Channel Bridge. Thanks to Lazy Dog for making the rescue and transferring the patient into our care. The wing has been treated in our clinic.

[animal-families-tournaments]

[north-american-duck-poll]

Semifinals match A

The Black Scoter is a sea duck, which means it spends much of its time in ocean waters, and can be found in the winter along both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. This does not, however, mean that they avoid freshwater entirely. They often make their nests near freshwater, and some birds even winter on the Great Lakes.

The Wood Duck is well known for its striking and unique appearance. Males have an iridescent green head with a crest while females have a greyish brown head with a white eye ring. Wood ducks nest in tree cavities and have sharp claws that allow them to perch on branches.

[hankwag93]

Enjoying the bounty of sea ducks to be found in Maine right now! The first 3 images are common eiders and then the other images are of a large raft of both common eiders and black scoters. Taken 3/12/24 in Winterport, ME and Hancock, ME.

[cannedheet]

Birds of the 13th (posted last minute lol)

Black scoter (Melanitta americana)

The oldest black scoter was a male, and he was at least 10 years and 6 months.

[capecodadventurepictures]

Black Scoter at the Cape Cod Canal 12/30/23

[arthistoryanimalia]

Velvet Scoter, Rose Fish, & Norway Lobster, illustrated by Jonas Haas (Germany 1720 - Denmark 1775) in An Account of the Laplanders of Finmark, their Language, Manners, and Religion, published 1767. Nasjonalmuseet NMK.2021.0112.098,099,100

[dansnaturepictures]

Some magical moments from our Scotland trip over the past week

We enjoyed fine views of colourful Oystercatcher and rustic Common Sandpiper shuffled along Lochindorb’s shore. Then we were mesmerised as a slick, otherworldly and stunning bird surfaced extraordinarily close to the shore, a summer plumage Black-throated Diver. It was an honour to watch this exquisite bird and its partner swim, stick their head under the water and dive. What an honour to see these sensational birds in their breeding grounds so intimately. Not long after a scene evocative of the moors captivated us, a pure and prepossessing Red Grouse on the roadside. In a daze of a few minutes it was wonderful to focus on and admire the bird, letting its gargling call wash over us.

One of the Black-throated Divers

Fresh from picking out Puffin and Common Scoters out to sea we were fixated on another fine diver at the shore of Spey Bay, the ruby throated gem that is the Red-throated Diver, alongside another further out still in winter plumage. It was electrifying to watch this excellent and eye-catching bird. Then all of a sudden where seabirds gathered further out breaking the surface were dorsal fins of Bottlenose Dolphins. Glee filled minutes followed as we saw the dolphins feed, getting exhilarating glimpses of more of their shiny bodies as they leapt out of the water surrounded by the white splash from their movements. We felt invigorated. Soon after the sky was filled with the colossal fish hunter overhead, more thrilling moments as a charming Osprey soared over.

One of the Bottlenose Dolphins

More rulers of the sky were enjoyed at Strathdearn, White-tailed Eagles against the mountainside with their rectangular wings and pointy diamond tales. With White-tailed Eagle and other raptors in the air again we spotted the icon of wilderness, a young Golden Eagle with its more crescent tail and succulent white infused in its plumage giving it an exotic feel. They circled in the bright blue sky above a line of pines; carefree, effortless as if all was well in the world. Scenes to see which inspire the soul, epitomize wilderness and bring awe and wonder.

The Golden Eagle

Oystercatcher

Common Sandpiper

The Red Grouse

Common Scoters flying over the sea

The Red-throated Diver

Osprey

White-tailed Eagle

[ceruleanvulpine]

huge respect to @myxinidaes for reblogging that post with 100 birds

[wingedjewels]

Male Surf Scoter! by Ruby 2417 Via Flickr: My favorite local waterbird, and who could resist their dorky colorful charm! Coyote Point, San Mateo, Ca. Feb. 2022.

[north-american-duck-poll]

Third Place Final

note: images on the left are Black Scoters, images on the right are Harlequin Ducks. If in doubt, check the alt text!

The Black Scoter is a sea duck, which means it spends much of its time in ocean waters, and can be found in the winter along both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. This does not, however, mean that they avoid freshwater entirely. They often make their nests near freshwater, and some birds even winter on the Great Lakes.

The Harlequin Duck is found along rocky coasts in Canada, the northern United States, and Greenland. On top of the male’s distinctive patterning, both sexes can be identified by the white spots present on both sides of the head, towards the back. The male makes a high-pitched squeaking call, and is therefore sometimes referred to as a “sea mouse”.

[postcards-and-postcrossing]

***Bird Stamps

Japan – 2022 Letter Writing Day – Birds Japan – 2015 Japanese Crested Ibis Japan – 2021 Letter Writing Day Japan – 1992 Spotbill Duck China – 2014 Birds of Prey: Hawk of the Gentiles Finland – 2017 Long-tailed duck (clangula hyemalis) Finland = 2027 Velvet Scoter (melanitta fusca) Poland – 2023 Polish Post Russia – 2018 Se-tenant: Green Woodpecker – Great Spotted Woodpecker Niger – 1985…

[new-dinosaurs]

Melanitta kirbori Zelenkov, 2024 (new species)

(Type coracoid [shoulder bone] of Melanitta kirbori, from Zelenkov, 2024)

Meaning of name: kirbori = for Kirill Borisovich Gerasimov [Russian zoologist who passed away in 2023]

Age: Pleistocene (Calabrian), about 1.8 million years ago

Where found: Taurida Cave, Crimea, Ukraine

How much is known: A nearly complete right coracoid (shoulder bone).

Notes: Melanitta is the genus of scoters, a group of stocky ducks in which the males are mostly colored black and have distinctive, "lumpy" bills. Although scoters tend to breed on freshwater ponds and lakes, they often spend the winter on coastal marine waters. They feed mainly by diving for clams and crustaceans.

M. kirbori is the oldest known scoter in the fossil record. It was similar in size and morphology to the extant surf scoter (M. perspicillata) of North America. It also resembles three larger extant species, the white-winged (M. deglandi), velvet (M. fusca), and Stejneger's (M. stejnegeri) scoters, which may suggest that these species evolved from smaller ancestors that were closer in size to M. kirbori.

Reference: Zelenkov, N.V. 2024. The oldest finds of the genera Melanitta, Marmaronetta, and other ducks (Aves: Anatidae) from the Lower Pleistocene of the Crimea. Paleontological Journal 58: 593–603. doi: 10.1134/S0031030124600653

[paynomind-iamnotreal]

How do all of these fuck so hard

These are so fun to make