White Rock pier and Rusty Blackbird

Jan. 11, 2015
I went to White Rock pier again for the Long-tailed Ducks Sunday morning, but this time the I was pretty luck to see them flying and add two lifers this place- Black Scoter and Pacific Loon.
A few of the ten Long-tailed Ducks that were closer to shore showed their tails quite well every time they dived.

Long-tailed Duck

Here's a good view of a male's tail. I can see why they get their current name which replaced another common name(Oldsquaw) that was previously used.

but the female's tail is not so impressively long

Female

 Two males were displaying their tails

and some fly shots of the two males

My lifer #1

Black Scoter

this one was in a flock of Surf and White-winged Scoters half-way to the boat launch of the pier

 Lifer #2

Pacific Loon

I did not get very close views of the loon and there were about 50 more farther out on the sea.

Note the narrow beak separates this bird from Common Loon and the huge flock made me belief this is not a Red-throated Loon.

 Also at White Rock were

Bald Eagle

 and 

Sanderling

In the afternoon at Boundary Bay--112th St and Hornby Drive

My third lifer was surprisingly easy to pick out from the blackbird,starling cowbird mixed flock

Lifer #3

Rusty Blackbird

It was alone on the lowest wire when I was there, while other birds stood on the top two power lines.

Maybe it knows it does not have any relative in this flock.