At 1800 hrs yesterday I was near the "Three Rocks" of the South Jetty
Columbia River. About 200 m S from the jetty I observed an unusual duck
keeping company with a female SURF SCOTER. The entire 15 minutes that I
watched it was spent preening.

Description:
chunky body, slightly smaller than nearby scoter.
short neck with round head, steep forehead -- almost concave.
upper neck and most of head very pale; forehead dark brown.
bill small, dark.
scapulars, tertials, primary tips all dark brown.
flanks and belly (seen well when duck rolled to preen) white or very pale.
Breast brown fading to pale underneath. Small patch of brown at junction of
breast with side.
wings - evenly dark when outstretched.

The bird looked most like a juvenile Long-tailed Duck, somewhat like a
juvenile Harlequin Duck (except for paler undersides and head). However, I
am hesitant to name the duck as either spp. based on the unlikely time of
year.

Anybody going out there, please let me know if you get a better look at it.

Lee Cain
Aquatic Biology/Integrated Science
Astoria High School
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