Surf Scoters

Tried to post this to the blogger website, yesterday, where our blog is hosted, but I couldn't get through. Seems to be working today.
Rain storms and high winds are hitting New England. Some people might want to curl up with a good book indoors under such conditions, but this is exactly the time hardy birders head out to the coast to see what birds might get blown in towards shore with the storm.
Large numbers of scoters migrate along both coasts and this would be a good time to see some. An acquaintance just told us he had seen thousands of Black Scoters from the MA coast. The above photos are of Surf Scoters, our favorite scoter, who can often be seen in mixed flocks with Black and White-winged Scoters. The male Surf Scoters have the striking black-and-white head pattern, (females have less distinct brown head with whitish patches) hence the male's nickname, "skunk scoter". Makes it easy to remember them.