Long-tailed Duck females / Clangula hyemalis

I was so lucky to see about six of these rare transient Long-tailed Ducks, swimming on the Glenmore Reservoir, on 5 November 2012. I had been on a walk all morning at Beaverdam Flats and called in at the Reservoir on my way home. Small duck, big water = full zoom and lots of cropping : ) However, I was glad to get any photo, as we don't usually have these ducks in Calgary. Every once in a while, one will be reported. As you can see, the water was quite choppy, which made it much harder to spot birds out on the water in the distance, After watching these ducks, I stopped off at South Glenmore Park and was very fortunate that another birder was already there, watching a Black Scoter - with a spotting scope. It was a mere pin-prick on the water, towards the far side of the Reservoir : ) However, the view through the scope was much appreciated, especially as I had never seen one of these ducks before. The Black Scoter (Melanitta americana) is a large sea duck.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Scoter

"The Long-tailed Duck, formerly known as the Oldsquaw, breeds across the Alaskan and Canadian Arctic, and spends the winter on the Pacific Ocean. Consequently, it is only a rare transient through Alberta.

A very few Long-tailed Ducks appear in Alberta in late October and early November. Very occasionally, one will overwinter on an open river or lake in the province. They are even scarcer on spring migration from March to May." Written by Andrew Slater for talkaboutwildlife.ca/profile/index.php?s=47.

"The Long-tailed Duck or Oldsquaw (Clangula hyemalis) is a medium-sized sea duck. It is the only living member of its genus, Clangula .... Adults have white underparts, though the rest of the plumage goes through a complex moulting process. The male has a long pointed tail (10 to 15 cm) and a dark grey bill crossed by a pink band. In winter, the male has a dark cheek patch on a mainly white head and neck, a dark breast and mostly white body. In summer, the male is dark on the head, neck and back with a white cheek patch. The female has a brown back and a relatively short pointed tail. In winter, the female's head and neck are white with a dark crown. In summer, the head is dark. Juveniles resemble adult females in autumn plumage, though with a lighter, less distinct cheek patch."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-tailed_Duck