From: Jamie Simmons at Corvallis, Oregon
(jamie_simmons at hp6400.desk.hp.com)


On Sunday, 3/19 at Gov. Patterson Memorial State Park (long beach at the
south end of Waldport, OR), I observed some behavior by 4 GREATER SCAUP
which seemed unusual to me. These 4 birds (2 of each sex) spent at least
1 to 2 hours swimming and diving in the surf very close to shore.
They were often seen swimming in the area that alternately has water
going up and down the sand slope, between the highest reach of the water on
the beach and the bottom of the slope where the receding water that has
previously been thrown up the beach meets the next wave trying to make
it's way up the beach. In other words, if they'd tried to, but for perhaps
the force of the receding water, they probably could have stood up.

In fact, at one point they did actually stand on the sand far enough
up to avoid being knocked over by the alternately coming and going water.
They stayed there for about 15 minutes, busily preening.

This was the first time I'd ever seen live ducks of any kind actually on
a beach, except for a sick scoter. These birds appeared healthy and I
don't think an unhealthy bird would have been able manuever the surf for
as long as they did. I also can't recall seeing GREATER SCAUP in the
surf before, acting scoter-like. Is that typical feeding style and location
for them?

The weather was actually not bad that day; there was little wind, as attested
to by the couple who weren't able to get their kite airborne. It was heavily
overcast but never rained during the 2+ hours we were there. Perhaps it
was the lull before the big storm that hit that night.

During the same visit, a CASPIAN TERN passed by, flying south. Perhaps it
was "helped" northward by the previous storm, thus explaining its early
arrival? It was the second earliest observation on record for Lincoln
County.

Any comments or conjectures welcome.

I am not a TWEETERS subscriber, so please forward any responses to me
as well at: jamie_simmons at hp6400.desk.hp.com

-Jamie