[cobirds] Two Long-tailed Ducks and NO Black Scoter - South Platte Park Reservoir - Jefferson/Arapahoe

There are a small number of birds on South Platte Park Reservoir.  After spending forty minutes, two of use found two LONG-TAILED DUCKS (female type) one at the far west end and simultaneously a second along the rock at the far north end.  Otherwise, there are mostly Common Goldeneyes, Pied-billed Grebes and RUDDY DUCKS in various states of molt.  I suspect that many people are seeing some of these molting male Ruddy Ducks and calling them the Black Scoter.  Black Scoters have dark sides of the body (not pale brown) and they do NOT have gleaming white checks but a dirty white.  Black Scoters also have very rounded heads with a steep forehead coming down to meet the smallish bill…not a sloping forehead with a “thick” bill that Ruddy Ducks have.

 

With the new year and new lists in work, I’m just trying to keep the eBird and COBIRD records straight with clean IDs.  J

 

Joey Kellner

Littleton, Colorado