Hi birders,
I was scoping Lake Lowell from west side of Upper Dam when I came across a big dark duck floating. Since I had only been seeing lots of grebes and gulls, I paused at this bird to check it out. Again it was big with a slash of white towards back end of bird. Bill was also good-sized. By now I was thinking scoter but just as I was getting ready to dial in scope to get closer looks at it, the bird got up and flew. I followed it with scope as long as I could before it got away from me. It did have a big white wing patch at back of wing. Since I’m not 100% sure it was a white-winged scoter (I needed more time!) and couldn’t refind it for further field marks, I’m not reporting it on my eBird list except as a possible in the comments section.
But a heads up for anyone out looking at Lake Lowell!
Thanks, Cheryl

Cheryl Huizinga
Caldwell, Idaho