Vermont Rare Bird Reports 2022

Complete weather description in ebird report. Sun and lighting was at my back so objects moving by stood out. And when looking thru my optics there was good lighting on the birds. Wind was very light from the south. Small ripples on the lake surface. The air temp was in the low 30sF and with warmer lake water temps there was noticeable optical distortion close to the surface, especially when viewed from a distance.

Zeiss 10x42 binocs
Swarovski scope with 20-60x zoom

I had seen this species at this location on 10/23/22, and last year 11/10/21, 11/6/21, 11/5/21, and a probable sighting on 10/23/21 with Taj Schottland. I have observed individuals resting on the water while birding during the winter near the US Coast Guard Station at Jones Beach on Long Island, NY

Observed during a lake watch at the narrowest part along the length of L. Champlain. Observation point is at a private camp located on a ledge above the lake surface. Unobstructed views to the other side of Split Rock Island, with a few cedar tree trunks obscuring parts of the view when you pan north or south. White-winged and Black Scoters flew by, Mallard and Black ducks, Canada Geese, Double crested Cormorants, Common Goldeneyes, Common Loons, were all observed moving thru. Either in a northward or southward direction. Other birds seen that day are listed in the ebird entry.

The first individual was flying directly north at 0757 just above the surface of the water. The second individual (or same one) was flying southward at 0851, just over the water, and joined a flock of 12 Common Goldeneyes that were heading southward.

The 7:57am individual was seen flying north by itself. Black on top, white underneath, with white under wings. Front end seemed "blunt" as I tried to focus in on the bill shape. Very thick necked if you can say it even has a neck. Head appears to come right out of body. Tail pointed. I did not get a lot of time with it when it was broadside to me, but did get to see white on the face behind the eye. The bird was a little blurry as there was quite a bit of distortion due to warm water and cold air interface at the lake surface. Sun was behind me so the bird showed up well. This bird seemed to be a little farther away than the bird I saw on 10/23/22, but it may have been due to the distortion making it harder to see the details.

At 8:51 I saw another RAZO flying south. (Probably the same bird but who knows. It had the same general features as the first one seen this day.) I was scanning thru my scope and picked up a group of Common Goldeneyes flying south. As I was focusing on them, this Razorbill flew by in the foreground of my scope view, and joined the Common Goldeneyes. This group continued to fly southward and I watched until they disappeared. When I first saw this RAZO I could make out the black C-shaped line that extended from the nape to the throat. Bill was blunt and thick. The RAZO was the same size as the Common goldeneyes, and as I was watching them thru my scope, get farther and farther away and disappear in the distance, I could not distinguish which bird was the Razorbill by size or shape when viewed directly from the rear. After my previous encounter with RAZO this year, I had reminded myself of their size measurements in Sibley's and noted their wing span and length were very similar to C. Goldeneyes. I was thrilled when this RAZO joined the goldeneyes while I was observing them thru my scope, giving me the chance to study these proportions. They were, indeed, very similar in size. When seen flying solo it is hard to get a good sense of their actual size.

These alcids initially caught my eye as being "different" from the black and white duck species that fly by at distance, due to their lack of neck. Head appears almost attached directly to body. Body is football shaped but does come to a sharp point at the tail. When the second bird joined the Common Goldeneyes it appeared to be a similar size.

Black on top including the eye, white from under the eye to the throat. Black on head extends down the entire length of the upper body of the bird. On the second bird sighted this day, I was able to see the black c-shaped marking on the white neck that extended from the black nape to the throat. On the first bird of the day, I was not able to make out this c-shaped marking due to distance, distortion, and angle of view.

Black bill. Even at a distance the thick bill gives the bird a blunt looking leading edge of the head in flight. Not as pointed appearing as the tail in the rear.

Black

Black

All black above, appearing whitish underneath. Rapid wing beat.

White from the throat to the black tail

All black and very pointed.

When I first saw the bird naked eye, it seemed like a white object, lit by the sun, flying rapidly in a steady manner. There was no obvious undulation up and down as it moved forward. I always expect it will be a Bufflehead, C. golden eye, or distant adult C. loon or male C. Merganser, catching the sunlight on their white bellies. When I got my scope on it I quickly realized there was no neck, it had a plump football type body, and was all black on top, white underneath. The wings were all black on top too with no patches of white to confuse with white wing scoter, goldeneyes, Buffleheads or Mergansers. Once I get my scope on it, I could see the rapid wing beats and realize the bird could not be confused with a loon sp. as their wing cadence is slower. Long-tailed Ducks also have all black wings on top, but they also have necks, slender bodies and more white areas on the face and neck. The lack of neck really zooms me into knowing that I may have an alcid going by.
They also remind me of penguins with all black upper body and all white underneath, with very crisp division between these colors.

I have not gotten good enough looks to determine if it was a first year bird or non-breeding bird. If I'm lucky, I may see one land and rest on the water at some point, within good scope distance.