Mysterious laughing scoter pics, El Paso County
Tom Wilberding
Hello birders,
Nothing new to report, but Barb & I did see two scoters yesterday at
Prospect Lake, Colorado Springs.
The weather forecast 60 mph winds for Boulder on Tuesday, so Barb & I drove
south to Colorado Springs, where the weather was much more mild, with winds of
only 55 mph. Oh well, surf’s up! Good scoter weather, but a bit dark for
photos. When we arrived about a third of the lake was frozen, but something
seemed strange: Canada Geese were standing on the ice but moving east at a
steady clip as if on a glass boat. The gale-force winds were pushing the thin
ice onto the eastern bank, and in no time the lake was ice-free and the geese
up on the grass.
Each scoter could be found by looking for a big, solitary, dark duck being
harassed by a Ring-billed Gull, no doubt looking to steal a crayfish. We had no
luck finding all three scoters, the trifecta, but we did enjoy seeing two. One
had a white patch on the nape, so Surf Scoter, right? The other had a black
nape, so White-winged, right? Looking at my photos, I now think they are both
Surf Scoters due to common bill shape. What do you think? At one point one of
the scoters seemed to be having a big laugh--what for? Eluding the gull? Having
eaten its 20th crayfish for the day? Practicing a mating call? Too
funny.
On our way home we stopped at Red Rocks Trading Post in Jefferson County,
spread some sunflower seed, and briefly saw the handsome Golden-crowned
Sparrow, but I was unable to get a photo. Apologies to Art Hudak. J
16 pic slideshow here: http://bit.ly/1vkTrbR
Happy Thanksgiving!
Tom Wilberding
Boulder County