Tonight at about 1715 hrs I saw a 1st winter Surf Scoter on
Liberty Lake at the foot of Oakland Road, with 3 downy young that
were possibly also SUSCs.

Small bright white patches at the base of the bill and in the
middle of the head; when it faced me, the front spots looked like
little headlights (dusk was fast approaching).  When it flapped
its wings, it showed very light belly.  Bill very scoter-sloped.
No white in secondaries, so White-winged Scoter less likely.

The 3 downy young with the SUSC were dark-capped, like the SUSC
downy young in Kortright, plate 35, but ID was not really
possible.

Bill Ellis
Eldersburg
Carroll County