As soon as I hit the pier I started scanning for White-winged Scoter, still needed for the year list. There were good numbers of Surf Scoters nearby including this male.
Surf Scoter - White Rock Pier, White Rock BC
This immature Scoter had caught something. Their bills are well adapted for breaking shells open.
Surf Scoter - White Rock Pier, White Rock BC
Further out, I finally spotted my White-winged Scoter. I was using the Nikon camera and it was tricky to spot and focus on a bird that was about 50 metres away. After a few misses I finally got a shot. The feathers around the eye are distinctive on the male.
White-winged Scoter - White Rock Pier, White Rock BC
I believe this bird is a juvenile White-winged Scoter. None of my field guides are totally clear on this identification.
White-winged Scoter (Imm) - White Rock Pier, White Rock BC
I reached the end of the pier and saw Bonaparte's Gulls in the water and flying around frantically. In breeding season these Gulls have a predominately black heads, but in Fall/Winter the head is white with a dark cheek spot. They are noticeably smaller than the common Glaucous-winged Gulls that are at the pier year round. Their call is a squeak compared to the larger gulls.
Although they were there in good numbers, this is the only good photo I got. The Black Bill is also different from the common gulls. The Gull is named for a French Ornithologist who happened to be the nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Bonaparte's Gull - White Rock Pier, White Rock BC
Another bird caught up in the frenzy was the resident Belted Kingfisher, perched nicely on the rigging of a boat moored at the end of the pier.
Belted Kingfisher (F) - White Rock Pier, White Rock BC
There were numerous Western Grebes further out (along with the one rare Clark's Grebe). this one's a Western, I did not see the other.
Although they were there in good numbers, this is the only good photo I got. The Black Bill is also different from the common gulls. The Gull is named for a French Ornithologist who happened to be the nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Bonaparte's Gull - White Rock Pier, White Rock BC
Another bird caught up in the frenzy was the resident Belted Kingfisher, perched nicely on the rigging of a boat moored at the end of the pier.
Belted Kingfisher (F) - White Rock Pier, White Rock BC
There were numerous Western Grebes further out (along with the one rare Clark's Grebe). this one's a Western, I did not see the other.
Western Grebe - White Rock Pier, White Rock BC
Closer to the Pier was this Horned Grebe.
Horned Grebe - White Rock Pier, White Rock BC
On my way back, I saw these ducks, not ones I normally expect to see in salt water.
Mallard - White Rock Pier, White Rock BC
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