White-winged Scoter (Melanitta fusca), Sunrise Lake, White Mountains, Apache County

This White-winged Scoter, likely a first Fall bird, was discovered and photographed at Sunrise Lake in the White Mountains by Dave Stejskal on 9 November 2009.

White-winged Scoter is a very rare late Fall migrant throughout the state, with relatively few records for Apache County.

The white secondary patches visible on this bird make it an easy i.d. When these aren't visible, the elongated bill ,  sloping forehead and feathering on the bill help to separate this species in this plumage from similar age Surf Scoters.

09 November 2009, photo by David Stejskal

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