Duck ID help

[Molly Jacobson]

Hi all,

I had the chance to stop at Cape Neddick in York Maine while in the area today. Got a lifer harlequin duck! But I also saw a lone duck relatively close to shore that I've been stumped over for a few hours now. Any help would be greatly appreciated (even though it's a Maine bird)! It was about medium sized, dark brown head, brown back, and beige on its entire chest, with conspicuous white wing patches (it lifted from the water to flap its wings once, I am grateful). While at the time I was convinced it had a light-colored bill, upon reviewing footage it may have been light shining off of its wet bill, but I can't be sure. It had no white markings at all on its face. I don't have a scope so that is as good as I could do with my binoculars. 

You can see the video I took of it here:

https://flic.kr/p/23FsAkN

With a still here:

https://flic.kr/p/25mqQ9q

I'm not super experienced with ducks, especially seabirds, so this may be very simple, but I appreciate the opportunity to learn. 

Thanks!!

-Molly Jacobson

Merrimack

[Molly Jacobson]

Hi guys, thanks for the responses! Steve Mirick believes it to be an immature male white-winged scoter, and I've gotten that suggestion from a couple others too. I'm definitely unfamiliar with a lot of those immature/in-between plumages, so every chance to learn helps! White-winged scoter was my initial thought but the lack of white on the face had thrown me off. 

Thanks for your help once again!

-Molly Jacobson

Merrimack

On Monday, April 23, 2018 11:17 AM, Jack Swatt <jswat...@gmail.com> wrote:

Not sure if you've got a response yet.  The white patch on the wing bar looks like a White-winged scoter mark, possibly a female given the lack of color on the bill.  The other possibility is Muscovy Duck.  The bill looked two toned in the video but I'm not sure of the effect of lighting on it.  I have seen some with larger and more distal white wing patches than the guides usually show (I use Sibleys).  Size might help differentiate as Muscovies are much larger than scoters.

Thanks for sharing, I love bird challenges like this, even though I'm frequently wrong, but it helps if many people weigh in.

Jack Swatt

Lempster, NH

Wolcott, CT

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