Neil,



40+ is a lot!



I see Surf Scoters around the mid-Sound all months of the summer just about
every year and I believe some other locations are common, too. I think
Blakely Rocks near where you were is a favorite hang-out but we see them off
Alki Point, too. The biggest group we've ever seen outside of winter was at
Blakely Rocks one September, about the same size as you just saw.



I used to assume our summer birds were just immature birds (first or second
summer?) not ready to breed, but I read on BNA that it's possible adults
don't necessarily breed every year, so our summer mix could be both. In any
case, the breeding birds would typically be egg-laying in June, and the
young birds would not fledge until September, so fledglings seem out of the
question.





Gary T. Smith

Alki Point



From: tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu
[mailto:tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of Neil
Johannsen
Sent: Friday, June 17, 2011 5:16 PM
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Subject: [Tweeters] Pelagic birds off Restoration Point, Bainbridge Island



As a sailor, I often use wind power to approach Pelagic birds. Today, 17
June, I approached a large flock of Surf Scoters (40 +) off Restoration
Point, the SE corner of Bainbridge Island. I'm not an expert, but it
appeared to me that at least half of this flock, which remained very tightly
together, were newly-fledged birds. As I recall, Surf Scoters nest in the
far north, so does this make sense, in the middle of June, to see a large
tight flock with juvies? Nearby I also saw a single Common Murre and three
Rhinoceros Auklets.

I love Tweeters and try to read it each day. Advice for all: join your
local Audubon chapter!

Neil C. Johannsen
Kitsap Audubon