Surf Scoter, Melanitta perspicillata

Surf Scoter, Melanitta perspicillata, getting a running start as it takes off across the water. San Diego Bay, California. These sea ducks are here every Winter but will return to Alaska around March.

In San Diego for the Winter: Surf Scoters!

Surf Scoters, Melanitta perspicillata, swimming towards me. With wild ducks, it is sometimes tough to get them to swim in towards you, most wild ducks being a little skittish. However, if you sit still and wait for while near where they were formerly hanging out, they will often come back closer to shore.

Surf Scoters are also known as skunk ducks because of their black and white coloration. These medium sized sea ducks spend Summers up in Alaska and Northern Canada but fly South to the Southern U.S. and parts of Baja California during the Winter. There is a large flock that Winters in San Diego Bay and in surrounding areas.

Suft Scoter

Surf Scoter or "skunk-duck"; Melanitta perspicillata. Found these guys hovering around the Imperial Beach pier during a very low tide. They were diving for seaweed off the bottom. I first saw these ducks up in the Prince William Sound in Alaska. Ironically, after spending all that money to go up to Alaska to see the wildlife, I find that the birds, at least, spend their Winters in San Diego. Go figure.