Hey all,
At about 3:00 pm, I received a text from Matt Hafner that John Hubbell had a White-winged Scoter (WWSC) at Lapidum in HarCo. I arrived 5 minutes later to find that the duck had just flown upriver, out of sight. John did get me on a Black-headed Gull within minutes. It wasn't too far offshore, and a minute later it flew clear across the river to join 90% of the Bonaparte's gulls in Cecil County. After a short time at Lapidum, I left and headed into Susquehanna State Park and parked at the Rock Run lot. I walked downriver a bit from there and scoped out many Common Mergs and a few Lesser Scaup (LESC) hoping that the WWSC didn't fly too far upriver. I didn't find it there so I walked the trail upriver, across Deer Creek, and then a mile further, stopping along the way to scope out the numerous flocks of LESC. Each time I didn't find the WWSC I started to worry that it would be on the opposite side of one of the many small islands, where I'd never find it. At about a mile north of the mouth of Deer Creek, I binned out a raft of LESC that has been hanging around a small island that's mostly trees. After about 30 seconds I thought I had the scoter, so I ran back to the path to get my scoped and hurried back to the river bank. Sure enough, I had refound the WWSC! She dwarfed the numerous LESC and made the Buffleheads look so tiny. The bird drifted downriver towards me about half the distance from the little island and then took off. She flew a wide circle around the island and then landed where there wasn't any current on the south side of the island. I watched her for 45 minutes while counting the TEN other species of waterfowl! There were more than 20 Gadwall hanging out there plus my FOY (in Harford) Northern Shoveler, which seemed a bit out of place. I couldn't have asked for more today!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/75557613@N08/
PS. If anyone wants to chase this bird, go on eBird and look up Wood Duck. Find the personal location on a tiny island on the Susquehanna with my checklist. That's where the scoter was last and she seemed to be settling in for the night.
Good Birding,
Josh Emm
HdG, MD
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