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Melanitta deglandi
Sea Duck/Diving Duck/Winter Migrant/rare to California
Almost similar to the Surf Scoter but slightly larger. The body and head is jet black except the dark brown flanks. Wings have a white speculum and there is white lower eye ring that resembles a check mark and pale almost white eyes. Like the Surf Scoter the bill is odd shape looking because of the large black knob and the bill is orange,black and white.
Oceans and Bays
Only a few have been spotted in the bay area. This one maybe the same one I saw last year in the same place.
Spotted on Dec 11, 2013
Submitted on Dec 12, 2013
2 Comments
Wish these were Eiders but they are not. They only share the same Mergini family along with Harlequin, Goldeneye, Bufflehead and Mergansers.
Out here the most common Scoter is the Surf. The rare sightings the White-wing and Black.
Very pretty eider!..these I did not see yet in the wild :-)