We are having a huge influx of wintering ducks. Thousands of ducks are being seen at the mouth of the Merrimack River. This photo shows a few more Black Scoters flying in to join the carpet of ducks that extends 1/3 mile or 600 meters by my estimate.
This little section of the raft of ducks above is exclusively Black Scoters with a couple of Eiders mixed in. But there are other ducks and non-ducks on the river as well. I took some photos of what I thought were two species of Scoter but realized that I got all three species when I looked at them on my computer. These are all males and include Black Scoters with orange bills, a White-winged Scoter with the Nike swoosh near the eye and a Surf Scoter with the white forehead and multicolored bill.
Scoters (pronounced “scoat-er”) are diving ducks, AKA sea ducks, that breed in northern Canada and Alaska and winter here in New England. These are photos of individual species.
Here are few more “group photos” that include more than one species. The different species mingle but it isn’t breeding season. They aren’t hybridizing.
Another wintering duck on the river is the Long-tailed Duck.
There were some non-duck visitors as well.
The ducks were very active and I took some action photos I am saving for the next post.
Birds in My Viewfinder 
I have not commented to you about your photos lately because I am continually impressed with your wor. I was not aware so many ducks stayed here in winter. Will some of them migrate eventually. Take care .Jim
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