Tag Archives: flock of ducks

Surfing DuckVille

Amazing site - the water was black with ducks.
Amazing site – the water was black with ducks.
Riding the chop!
Riding the chop!
The debris on the beach was thick with roe.
The debris on the beach was thick with roe.

The Surf Scoter – according to the “Book” – is gregarious and loves to flock together – especially when there is herring roe to be found.  Sometimes the flock can number over 300,000!

There weren’t that many at Neck Point yesterday morning but there were at least one thousand – most likely more – Surf Scoters and other ducks surfing the chop!  I saw Buffleheads, Merganzers and Harlequin ducks as well!  I have never seen anything like this flock of ducks.

Harlequin ducks bobbing the chop.
Harlequin ducks bobbing the chop.

The flock would separate out into fingers that would move away and back towards the main flock.  Ducks disappear and reappear as they dove down and popped back up.  The Gulls dove down and settled or veered away into the breeze!  The wind was freshening up as we watched the flock and the water got choppier.  Sometime the flock would almost disappear behind the approaching waves – incredible!

"Fingers" would separate and then rejoin the main flock
“Fingers” would separate and then rejoin the main flock
Loan Eagle
Loan Eagle

It was an amazing morning for bird watching.  A loan Eagle soared overhead – the Gulls were flying and diving around the ducks – the air and ocean were full of movement.

Happy Viewing

Lynette