American Scoter in the San Francisco Bay Region
American Scoter in the San Francisco Ray Region
Grinnell and Wythe (Pac. Coast Avif. No. 18, 1927, p. 55) list the American Scoter (Oidemia americana) as a “very rare mid-winter visitant” in the San Francisco Bay region. The species has, in fact, been recorded but relatively few times from the entire coast of California. It therefore appears worth while to record the collecting of an adult female American Scoter by Leonard Penhale of the Department of Exhibits, Califorina Academy of Sciences, on March 10, 1938, at Drakes Bay, Marin County, California.
On the same day that the above specimen was secured at least six adult males of the same species, all readily distinguishable from the numerous White-winged and Surf scoters by the bright lemon yellow on their bills, were likewise seen on this bay. The observer stated that a male and several female Old-squaw Ducks (Clangula hyemalis) were also noted at the same time but were too wary to allow close approach.
Robert T. Orr
California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, March 29, 1938
