Happily shaking us from our summer slumber, this cracking male Surf Scoter arrived in the bay yesterday, within a small flock of Commons. Found by Dan (nice work comrade) on our bay monitoring duties, we had progressively better views as the flock gradually came closer inshore, despite disturbance from yachts and cobles.
After the Marsh Warbler a couple of weeks ago, this is our second county rare during this season's monitoring - particularly pleasing, with last year's equivalent two-month contract being fairly unproductive for oddities (summer plumage Long-tailed Duck and Great Northern Divers being the pick). It's also a well-deserved bonus for Dan, into his fourth year on the job and long overdue a star bird to reward the eye-strain....
