I stopped by Berlin Pond late yesterday afternoon, during the snow squall
which really reduced visibility. However, there was one flock of scoters
close to shore (east shore) with 75 White-winged and 125 Black. Also mixed
in were 20 Long-tailed Ducks, as well as 3 Red-breasted Mergansers further
out on the pond.

This morning the scoter flock was down to 25 Black Scoters. Still 13
American Coots at the south end, as well as a Pied-billed Grebe.
Best, Chip

Chip Darmstadt
Executive Director
North Branch Nature Center
713 Elm Street
Montpelier, VT 05602
802-229-6206
[log in to unmask]
www.NorthBranchNatureCenter.org
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Vermont Birds [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of paulagills
tds.net
Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2011 3:45 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] Spectacular flight of Black Scoters

Large raft of Scoters still there on Berlin Pond as of 3:20 more toward the
southern third of the reservoir.

Paula Gills
Brookfield

On Thu, Oct 27, 2011 at 3:06 PM, Chip Darmstadt <
[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> The scoter flock on Wrightsville Reservoir has diminished a bit, with only
> around 75 Black Scoters, 6 Surf and 3 White-winged Scoters present at 2pm
> this afternoon. Northern Pintail still hanging out with the raft and 4
> Buffleheads also resting on the reservoir.
> Cheers, Chip
>
>
> Chip Darmstadt
> Executive Director
> North Branch Nature Center
> 713 Elm Street
> Montpelier, VT 05602
> 802-229-6206
> [log in to unmask]
> www.NorthBranchNatureCenter.org
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vermont Birds [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Fred and
> Chris
> Pratt
> Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2011 2:20 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [VTBIRD] Spectacular flight of Black Scoters
>
> An amazing flight of Black Scoters today, October 27. A visit to Thurman
> W. Dix Reservoir near Barre produced at least 200 Black Scoters in their
> usual tight rafts, along with 17 White-winged Scoters. At times the
> birds would rise to fly nervously to another section of the reservoir,
> allowing wonderful views of their aerial formations. Also present at Dix
> were about 30 Bufflehead, about a dozen Hooded Mergansers and 2 Greater
> Yellowlegs.
>
> Decided we had better check out Berlin Pond as well - and the results
> were even more spectacular. We started with 8 Black Scoters along with
> 300 Canada Geese in the northern third of the lake. Later, from the
> south end of the pond, we spotted about 170 scoters in flight
> approaching from the north. Eventually the birds joined a raft about
> mid-lake. Nearby was another raft of about 100 birds and further north
> we found yet another very large raft that had to number another 200
> birds! Scope views confirmed they were Black Scoters with males
> outnumbering females about 2 to 1. Also mixed in were single drakes of
> the other two scoter species. Also, continuing at the southern end of
> the reservoir, were about 10 American Coot.
>
> I don't recall Black Scoter numbers like these, including even wintering
> concentrations off the coast of Maine or at their favorite locations
> along coastal Rhode Island.
>
> Pipit
>



-- 
*Birds were the earth's first musicians.*
                                    *Olivier Messiaen*