Surf Scoter

A stocky black sea duck best looked for in winter along rocky or sandy coastlines, where flocks dive for mussels and other shellfish in the surf zone that gives it its name; males show a bold white patch on the forehead and nape and a swollen orange, white and black bill, unmistakable at close range. It breeds far to the north on boreal lakes and tundra ponds, so coastal watching in the colder months is by far the most accessible way to see it.