The Scoters and Long-tailed Duck Still Present ~ February 12, 2026

When I first began today's check of the Nazareth Quarry, I noticed a female White-winged Scoter in the spot that the five had been hanging out in the days before.

A female White-winged Scoter.

I kept looking in that area for the other four to pop up from diving, but it didn't happen. Guy de Bruyn arrived and I pointed the female out to him. Then later, I finally did spot the other four near the section of the quarry with the three snags in the water.

Three of the other four White-winged Scoters.

Also near the snags were 18 Redheads, the sporadically-seen pair of Gadwall, and 14 American Coots.

Some of the 18 Redheads.

A pair of Gadwall.

I looked for a while for the Long-tailed Duck and couldn't find it. As I was leaving, Stephen Kloiber and Megan Davis arrived, so I walked back over to the fence with them. When I looked out along the left side of the quarry, there was the Long-tailed! I realize it's a big quarry, but it amazes me how hard it is to find some of the birds at times.

The female Long-tailed Duck.

Other birds seen there today included 2 Snow Geese, 12 Canada Geese, 11 American Black Ducks, 11 Greater Scaup, one Lesser Scaup, 24 Buffleheads, 13 Common Mergansers, around 50 Ruddy Ducks, 7 Ring-billed Gulls, a Pied-billed Grebe, and a Red-tailed Hawk.

---