White-winged Scoter (Melanitta fusca), Lake Havasu off Mesquite Bay, Mohave County

This White-winged Scoter was found on 22 January 2011 by Lauren Harter and David Vander Pluym from a boat with Captain Jim Logan, Sherry Lewis, Bea Cooley, Brooks Hart, Tom Linda, and Terry Blows.  It was photographed by David Vander Pluym the same day.

Rare winter visitor, it has returned to being annual in the state after nearly a decade of very few records.  The area it was in was checked thoroughly a couple days ago and has been checked regularly this winter, so it recently arrived.

Large dark duck with white secondaries. Also the sloping forhead with feathering onto the bill and white oval patch on these feathers.

22 January 2011, photo by David Vander Pluym