White-winged Scoter

Puget Sound is only a mile and a half from our home—closer as the crow flies. I often duck out to check the water out for birds. On 28 October 2019, I stopped at an undeveloped park along Budd Inlet and spied the usual suspects. I noticed two distant, dark ducks. I immediately recognized them as White-winged Scoters by the striking plumage of the adult male. Note the oddly shaped, white, upward pointing tear drop that runs from the bottom of its eye. Also note the odd hump on the top of their bill. Usually you can see this species’ white wing patches but, obviously, not always. I have never seen an adult White-winged Scoter until now. White-winged Scoters breed in northern Alaska and the interior of northwestern Canada. The winter along the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. In the winter, the species is fond of crustaceans and mollusks—especially mussels.