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The article provides an overview of notable ornithological observations in Switzerland from August to October 2024. It focuses on various bird species, their increasing frequency, and key sightings during the period, such as the appearance of a male Black Scoter, a White-tailed Lapwing group, and several sightings of rare species like the Eurasian Griffon Vulture and the Pallid Swift.

Abstract While the Atlantic Coast of the United States and Canada is a major wintering area for sea ducks, knowledge about their wintering habitat use is relatively limited. Black Scoters have a broad wintering distribution and are the only open water species of sea duck that is abundant along the southeastern coast of the United States. Our study identified variables that affected Black Scoter (Melanitta americana) distribution and abundance in the Atlantic Ocean along the southeastern coast of the United States. We used aerial survey data from 2009 to 2012 provided by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to identify variables that influenced Black Scoter distribution. We used indicator variable selection to evaluate relationships between Black Scoter habitat use and a variety of broad‐ and fine‐scale oceanographic and weather variables. Average time between waves, ocean floor slope, and the interaction of bathymetry and distance to shore had the strongest association with southeastern Black Scoter distribution.

Sea ducks exhibit complex movement patterns throughout their annual cycle; most species use distinct molting and staging sites during migration and disjunct breeding and wintering sites. Although research on black scoters (Melanitta americana) has investigated movements and habitat selection during winter, little is known about their annual‐cycle movements. We used satellite telemetry to identify individual variation in migratory routes and breeding areas for black scoters wintering along the Atlantic Coast, to assess migratory connectivity among wintering, staging, breeding, and molt sites, and to examine effects of breeding site attendance on movement patterns and phenology. Black scoters occupied wintering areas from Canadian Maritime provinces to the southeastern United States. Males used an average of 2.5 distinct winter areas compared to 1.1 areas for females, and within‐winter movements averaged 1,256 km/individual. Individuals used an average of 2.1 staging sites during the 45‐day pre‐breeding migration period, and almost all were detected in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Males spent less time at breeding sites and departed them earlier than females. During post‐breeding migration, females took approximately 25 fewer days than males to migrate from breeding sites to molt and staging sites, and then wintering areas. Most individuals used molt sites in James and Hudson bays before migrating directly to coastal wintering sites, which took approximately 11 days and covered 1,524 km. Males tended to arrive at wintering areas 10 days earlier than females. Individuals wintering near one another did not breed closer together than expected by chance, suggesting weak spatial structuring of the Atlantic population. Females exhibited greater fidelity (4.5 km) to previously used breeding sites compared to males (60 km). A substantial number of birds bred west of Hudson Bay in the Barrenlands, suggesting this area is used more widely than believed previously. Hudson and James bays provided key habitat for black scoters that winter along the Atlantic Coast, with most individuals residing for >30% of their annual cycle in these bays. Relative to other species of sea duck along the Atlantic Coast, the Atlantic population of black scoter is more dispersed and mobile during winter but is more concentrated during migration. These results could have implications for future survey efforts designed to assess population trends of black scoters. © 2021 The Wildlife Society. Summary for online Table of Contents: We used satellite telemetry to assess annual‐cycle movements of a large sample of black scoters, a sea duck that breeds in remote boreal areas and winters on marine coasts. Although we found a high degree of similarity in migration routes and timing and high fidelity to breeding sites, individuals showed low fidelity to wintering and migratory staging sites and used multiple sites among and within years. Our findings highlight the importance of migratory staging and molt areas in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Hudson and James bays and the difficulty of accurately censusing black scoters during non‐breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the Atlantic Coast of the United States and Canada is a major wintering area for sea ducks, knowledge about their wintering habitat use is relatively limited. Black Scoters have a broad wintering distribution and are the only open water species of sea duck that is abundant along the southeastern coast of the United States. Our study identified variables that affected Black Scoter (Melanitta americana) distribution and abundance in the Atlantic Ocean along the southeastern coast of the United States. We used aerial survey data from 2009 to 2012 provided by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to identify variables that influenced Black Scoter distribution. We used indicator variable selection to evaluate relationships between Black Scoter habitat use and a variety of broad‐ and fine‐scale oceanographic and weather variables. Average time between waves, ocean floor slope, and the interaction of bathymetry and distance to shore had the strongest association with southeastern Black Scoter distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Journal of Field Ornithology is the property of Resilience Alliance and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A Black Scoter Melanitta americana was observed in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, central Japan on 24 October 2013. This is the first record of this species in the inland Chubu region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For migratory species such as Black Scoters (Melanitta americana) whose range encompasses a variety of habitats, it is especially important to obtain habitat use information across the species' range to better understand anthropogenic threats, e.g., marine development and climate change. The objective of our study was to investigate the winter movement patterns and habitat use of Black Scoters in the Atlantic Ocean by quantifying the following key movement indices: number of wintering sites, arrival and departure dates to and from the wintering grounds, days at a wintering site, area of a wintering site, distance between wintering sites, and differences in habitat features of wintering sites. We also tested if winter movement patterns varied by sex or along a latitudinal gradient. To quantify winter movement patterns of Black Scoters, we used satellite telemetry data from 2009 to 2012 (n = 29 tagged females and 15 males for a total of 66 winter seasons, 38 female winter seasons, 28 male winter seasons). Our results indicated that the average wintering site area and distance between wintering sites varied with latitude. Wintering sites located at southern latitudes were larger and further apart than wintering sites located at more northern latitudes. Additionally, wintering sites varied in bathymetry, distance to shore, and the slope of the ocean floor at different latitudes; northern wintering sites were in deeper waters, closer to shore, and on steeper slopes than southern wintering sites. Our results suggest that habitat use may differ by latitude, indicating that habitats used in northern locations may not be representative of habitats used in more southern wintering areas. Understanding variation of habitat use along a latitudinal gradient will enable managers to focus sampling effort for Black Scoter abundance and distribution along the Atlantic coast and provide insight on the wintering ecology and movement of Black Scoters.

ABSTRACT: Satellite telemetry is a powerful tool used to follow animals through their annual life cycle, informing the understanding of behavior and distribution of many species. Because boreal‐ and arctic‐nesting North American sea duck populations are challenging to survey, satellite telemetry is important for describing breeding distributions and identifying breeding population structure. Accurate knowledge of breeding distributions is needed for effective habitat and harvest management, but satellite telemetry is expensive so it is important to consider the effort necessary to accurately map breeding distributions. We construct 3 theoretical breeding distributions using existing telemetry data from 3 species of sea ducks, Barrow's goldeneye (Bucephala islandica), surf scoter (Melanitta perspicillata), and black scoter (M. americana), by fitting kernel densities to approximate breeding locations of individual birds. Then we determined the minimum sample size needed to approximate these theoretical breeding distributions by assessing the overlap between breeding densities simulated by sampling from the distributions and the theoretical breeding densities. Diminishing information gains with additional effort (i.e., <1–5% improvement in prediction) were reached with sample sizes ranging from 80 to 130. Sea duck mortality, transmitter failure, and exclusion of non‐breeding individuals resulted in an effective sample size smaller than the number of birds originally marked. For the cases we considered, obtaining breeding locations for 80–130 individuals would require marking 11–41% more birds than the sample size goal. Thus, although satellite telemetry provides valuable information on sea duck populations, our analysis suggests that accurately estimating the extent and relative use of breeding habitats requires substantial investment. © 2018 The Wildlife Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wellfleet Bay virus (WFBV) is a recently described orthomyxovirus isolated from the tissues of Common Eiders (Somateria mollissima) collected during recurrent mortality events on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, US. Coastal Massachusetts is the only location where disease or mortality associated with this virus has been detected in wild birds, and a previous seroprevalence study found a significantly higher frequency of viral exposure in eiders from this location than from other areas sampled in North America. This suggests that coastal Massachusetts is an epicenter of WFBV exposure, but the reason for this is unknown. Opportunistic sampling of sympatric species and testing of banked serum was used to investigate potential host range and spatiotemporal patterns of WFBV exposure. Antibodies were detected in Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus), Ring-billed Gulls (Larus delawarensis), a White-winged Scoter (Melanitta fusca), and a Black Scoter (Melanitta nigra). These findings demonstrate the likely occurrence of fall/winter transmission, expand our understanding of the host range of the virus, and provide further insight into the epidemiology of WFBV in the northeastern US. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The common scoter Melanitta nigra, velvet scoter M. fusca and long-tailed duck Clangula hyemalis (Aves: Anatidae) are among the more abundant sea ducks on the southern coast of the Baltic in winter, but their parasitic trematode fauna (Platyhelminthes, Digenea) in this region is little known. The aim of this study, conducted in 2007–2009, was a general comparison of the trematode fauna of these ducks in NW Poland. The prevalence and intensity of trematode infection were 68.3% and 119.9 in common scoter (101 examined), 77.6% and 13.1 in velvet scoter (58 examined) and 70.6% and 23.7 in long-tailed duck (68 examined). The following trematodes were found: Diplostomum pungitii, Apatemon gracilis, Australapatemon minor, Typhlocoelum sisowi, Echinochasmus spinulosus, Echinoparyphium recurvatum, Psilostomum brevicolle, Psilotrema simillimum, Catatropis verrucosa, Notocotylus attenuatus, N. gibbus, Paramonostomum alveatum, Prosthogonimus ovatus, Levinseniella propinqua, Gymnophallus bursicola and Cryptocotyle concava. The common scoter differs from the velvet scoter and long-tailed duck in its statistically significantly higher prevalence of G. bursicola; from long-tailed duck in its higher prevalence and greater intensity of infection with P. alveatum; and from velvet scoter in its greater intensity of infection with C. concava. The velvet scoter is distinguished from the long-tailed duck by its greater intensity of infection with P. brevicolle, lower prevalence of L. propinqua and lower intensity of infection with C. concava. Links between the differences found and the biology and ecology of the hosts, as well as the means of transmission of the parasites, are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on bird sightings in Connecticut from June 1 to July 31, 2015. Topics covered include the presence of White-winged Scoter at the Wethersfield Cove, the appearance of Red-throated Loon at Milford Point, and the sight of a Black Scoter at Harkness Memorial State Park. Also presented are images of a Cattle Egret, Gull-billed Tern, and the Great Northern Loon.

The article offers information on the various species of birds that were first recorded in various countries including Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. It mentions the flock of ruddy shelduck, white-headed duck, and greater flamingos recorded in Cyprus, the lesser flamingos, abdim's storks, and European honey buzzard recorded in Saudi Arabia, and the common scoter, goosander, and horned grabes recorded in Turkey.

ABSTRACT The southern New England continental shelf is an important region for black scoters ( Melanitta americana) during winter and migratory staging periods and a priority area for developing offshore wind energy facilities. However, little is known about the migration phenology and habitat use of black scoters in this portion of their range and this information is necessary to assess potential risks to black scoters during the marine spatial planning process. In this regional black scoter study over 2 winters, we used satellite telemetry and spatial modeling techniques to estimate migratory timing and length of stay, quantify winter home range size and site fidelity between winters, examine key habitat characteristics associated with core-use areas, and map relative probabilities of use across a 3,800-km2 marine spatial planning area for 2 proposed offshore renewable energy facilities. Black scoters spent nearly 5 months in southern New England, with wide variation among individuals in the size of winter utilization distributions (range 16-12,367 km2). Approximately 50% of the tagged birds returned to southern New England during the subsequent winter and had variable fidelity to core-use areas occupied the previous winter. During both winters, black scoter core-use areas were located closer to shore, at shallower water depths, with coarser sediment grain size and higher probability of hard-bottom occurrence relative to available areas. Resource selection functions classified the majority of a nearshore 5-turbine, 34-km2 renewable energy zone off Block Island as high probability of use by black scoters, whereas an offshore 200-turbine, 667-km2 federal lease block zone was classified as low to medium-low probability of selection. Wind energy facilities, such as the Block Island site, constructed in relatively shallow (<20 m deep), nearshore habitats (<5 km) over hard-bottomed or coarse-sand substrate could displace some foraging black scoters wintering in this region, whereas the larger federal lease block zone located farther offshore is more likely to affect scoters dispersing among core-use areas and during migration between wintering and breeding grounds. © 2014 The Wildlife Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the field observations done from August to November of 2013 by the Field Observations Committee (FOC) of the Florida Ornithological Society. Topics include an overview of the Fall season observations such as sightings of 33 Swainson's Warblers as well as Black Scoters in October 2013, and a description of species observation accounts including the Black-Bellied Whistling-Duck, the Yellow-Headed Blackbird, and the Nashville Warbler.

Reports on the presence of Echinuria hypognatha Wehr, 1937 in Europe have so far provided only general information, and therefore we present further morphometric and ecological characteristics of this parasite. In this study, the examined nematodes were isolated from the digestive tract of 1 005 wild ducks, representing 17 species from the northwestern Poland. The anatomical features of the parasite were in principle consistent with the description of the species by its discoverer and reports in the available literature. Nematodes (505 individuals) were found in 2.5 % of the examined ducks, in five species wintering in Poland: Clangula hyemalis, Melanitta nigra, M. fusca, Mergellus albellus and Aythya fuligula. The exclusive locations of the nematode were the glands in the proventriculus. The highest incidence was recorded in Melanitta ducks, and the presence of this nematode only in birds wintering in Poland indicates that E. hypognatha is brought to Poland by birds migrating from the areas of Eastern Siberia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The razor clam Ensis directus was introduced to Europe presumably as larvae in ballast water around 1978. Starting in the German Bight it spread northward and southward along the continental coastline. Currently it is the most common shellfish species in the Dutch coastal zone, where it mainly occurs in the Voordelta and off the Wadden Sea islands. The mean density of E. directus in the Dutch coastal zone increased from around 2–5 individuals m−2 in the late ‘90’s to around 12–19 individuals m−2 from 2002 onwards. Diet studies show that E. directus makes up a significant proportion in the current diet of plaice, sole, dab, flounder and dragonet and in the diet of eider and common scoter. In recent years E. directus contributed 20–100% of the total wet weight in fish stomachs. The proportion E. directus in the diet increases with fish length. Based on stomach contents of oiled and beached birds and of faeces samples the recent frequency of occurrence is 85–90% in eider and 26% in common scoter. Also waders, gulls and corvids prey on E. directus but the contribution to the diet is still unquantified. Because of its great burying depth the species is not easily accessible. Fish either profit from massive die-offs that regularly occur, or they extract (probably only the smaller) individuals from the sediment. Sea ducks can extract E. directus from the sediment, while shorebirds and gulls feed on dying E. directus washing up on the shore. E. directus is possibly an important food item for fish and seabirds when they occur in high densities and in the right size classes. Since the availability depends greatly on massive die-offs, shell size, burying depth and water depth, it is probably not a very reliable food source. Judging from the role E. directus currently plays for the higher trophic levels, its introduction must have caused a major change in the food relations in its distribution area. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Northeastern Bristol Bay, Alaska, which includes three large estuaries, is used by multiple sea duck species during the annual cycle. Limited aerial surveys indicate that this area supports tens of thousands of king eiders and black scoters during spring migration and the autumn molt. Existing satellite telemetry data were used to assess the temporal patterns of habitat use and spatial distribution of king eiders and black scoters in northeastern Bristol Bay throughout the annual cycle. King eiders used northeastern Bristol Bay during all months of the annual cycle and black scoters used the area during spring through fall. Both species exhibited a similar seasonal pattern of use that corresponded with the timing of life-cycle stages. Abundance of both species was highest during spring migration and the autumn molting period and lowest during summer. Use by king eiders did not occur during all winter months in every year of the study. King eiders were more broadly distributed than black scoters and were located farther from shore in deeper water. Core use areas had minimal overlap, suggesting a degree of spatial segregation between species and a preference for different habitats in northeastern Bristol Bay. Further study of potential variation in invertebrate community structure that may correlate with the observed interspecific spatial segregation in habitat use is needed to determine preferred forage and describe habitat requirements for each species. Such information is necessary to assess the potential impact that future anthropogenic or environmental changes may have on habitat quality of northeastern Bristol Bay and demography of Pacific sea duck populations that use this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twelve species of North American sea ducks (Tribe Mergini) winter off the eastern coast of the United States and Canada. Yet, despite their seasonal proximity to urbanized areas in this region, there is limited information on patterns of wintering sea duck habitat use. It is difficult to gather information on sea ducks because of the relative inaccessibility of their offshore locations, their high degree of mobility, and their aggregated distributions. To characterize environmental conditions that affect wintering distributions, as well as their geographic ranges, we analyzed count data on five species of sea ducks (black scoters Melanitta nigra americana, surf scoters M. perspicillata, white-winged scoters M. fusca, common eiders Somateria mollissima, and long-tailed ducks Clangula hyemalis) that were collected during the Atlantic Flyway Sea Duck Survey for ten years starting in the early 1990s. We modeled count data for each species within ten-nautical-mile linear survey segments using a zero-inflated negative binomial model that included four local-scale habitat covariates (sea surface temperature, mean bottom depth, maximum bottom slope, and a variable to indicate if the segment was in a bay or not), one broad-scale covariate (the North Atlantic Oscillation), and a temporal correlation component. Our results indicate that species distributions have strong latitudinal gradients and consistency in local habitat use. The North Atlantic Oscillation was the only environmental covariate that had a significant (but variable) effect on the expected count for all five species, suggesting that broad-scale climatic conditions may be directly or indirectly important to the distributions of wintering sea ducks. Our results provide critical information on species–habitat associations, elucidate the complicated relationship between the North Atlantic Oscillation, sea surface temperature, and local sea duck abundances, and should be useful in assessing the impacts of climate change on seabirds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study which investigated reproductive ecology and habitat use of Pacific Black scoters (Melanita nigra americana) that are nesting on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta in Alaska. The study area was the Aropuk Lake which is characterized by dry upland tundra. The researchers found a total of 17 random locations and qualitative measures of nest site characteristics implied that females preferred sites located in shrub edge habitat.

Carmarthen Bay, UK, regularly supports internationally important numbers (>16,000) of non-breeding Common Scoters Melanitta nigra. The spill of 72,000 tonnes of crude oil from the Sea Empress in 1996 affected birds both through direct mortality and likely pollution of key food resources. Numbers were greatly reduced following the spill, whilst changes in the distribution of birds within Carmarthen Bay suggested that potentially sub-optimal foraging zones were used. However, ten years after the incident, numbers of Common Scoter were no different to those recorded immediately before the spill. Compared to some other spills, rapid revival is evident. Numbers increased to pre-spill levels within three winters and distributional changes suggested a concurrent return to previously contaminated feeding areas, implying that the ecosystem had regenerated sufficiently to support its top predator. The importance of prolonged, standardised monitoring of bird numbers and distribution as indicators of ecological recovery from environmental damage is emphasised. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Comprehension on the subject of heart structure remains imperfect in relation to many bird species. Adjustment of cardio-vascular system for definite models of bird's lives i.e. for plunge is mostly attractive. Description of chosen anatomical parameter of body was the main intention of the research at the Black scoter Melanitta nigra, with scrupulous deliberation of heart structure as well as it size. Determination of execute measurements of heart parameters as well as their relative value performed on 30 adult persons of this sort of bird (16 males and 14 females). Animals earned from fishing net, they bogged to which during feeding and they died most often. Material gained from fishing bases of polish coasts of Baltic Sea, between 1995 and 2002 year. It performed following designation of body parameters: weight of body, length of body, length of tarsometatarsus, length of sternum as well as measurement of the following heart parameters: weight, height, width, girth, weight of right and left ventricle. Existence of statistically important difference exert in range of largeness of body and hearts among birds of opposite sex. Drakes characterized greater absolute dimension of body and all-out mass, owned too larger and heavier heart. However, did not ascertain statistically important difference in case of all linear parameters of heart as well as it relative weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Offshore wind farms are proposed around the coast of the UK and elsewhere in Europe. These sites tend to be located in shallow coastal waters that often coincide with areas used by over-wintering Common Scoter Melanitta nigra. A large-scale study was undertaken to ascertain the relationship of the spatial distribution of Common Scoter in Liverpool Bay with prey abundance and environmental and anthropogenic variables that may affect foraging efficiency. The highest numbers of Common Scoter coincided with sites that had a high abundance and biomass of bivalve prey species. There was strong evidence that the maximum observed biomass of bivalves occurred at a mean depth of c. 14 m off the Lancashire coast and at c. 8 m off the north Wales coast. This coincided well with the distribution of Common Scoter at Shell Flat, but less well with the distribution of birds off North Wales. Common Scoters were observed in lowest numbers or were absent from areas in which anthropogenic disturbance (shipping activity) was relatively intense, even when these areas held a high prey biomass. Commercial fishing activities did not appear to contribute to this disturbance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the population dynamics of white-winged scoters in Alaska. Age ratio of white-winged scoters; Annual survival rates in Atlantic Flyaway; Comparison of scoters' age ratio with waterfowls; Rebound in recruitment by population.

An observation of the flight of a flock of Common Eiders, Somateria mollisima, on 24 October 2012 suggests that, 15 years after construction of the Confederation Bridge connecting New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island (12.9 km in length over the Northumberland Strait), the bridge may still be a partial barrier to bird flight and possibly migration. Although we believe the Common Eiders we observed intended to fly over or under the bridge, none of the 44 Common Eiders crossed the structure during the observation period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the difference in shape of bill-base feathering between Common Melanitta nigra and the Black Scoters Melanitta americana. The author has observed that the feathering across most of the base of the upper mandible appears to be straight or slightly convex on Common Scoter when the head is viewed in profile. Some female Common Scoters are described as having a poorly defined knob at the base of the upper mandible, creating a shape that approaches that males, while some female Black Scoters have a slightly swollen basal half of the upper mandible.

Focuses on the habitat requirements and breeding biology of white-winged and surf scoters in the Mackenzie Delta Region, Northwest Territories. Background information on the continental decline in scoter populations; Habitat selectivity of female scoters in relation to specific wetland features; Indication of the abundance of white-winged scoters in both delta and upland regions.

The Common Scoter (Melanitta nigra) is a common sea duck, which predominantly feeds on sedentary benthic bivalve prey and occurs in large late-summer moulting concentrations in the German North Sea in areas which differ from those used by later wintering concentrations. Assuming scoters distribute in response to prey accessibility, abundance and profitability, we hypothesis that their contrasting distribution during moult compared to winter potentially reflects differences in prey type and distribution. We compared benthic bivalve community composition, abundance, ash-free dry mass and flesh-to-shell ratios between both areas to investigate factors influencing the seasonal difference in areas used by scoters. The American Razor Clam (Ensis leei) was the most common bivalve in the moulting area (mean abundance 1004 ± 1681 ind. m−2, mean ± SD) with the highest flesh-to-shell ratio (0.341 g m−2 ± 0.729 g m−2), whereas the American Piddock (Petricolaria pholadiformis) showed the highest ash-free dry mass (0.635 g m−2 ± 0.392 g m−2). In the wintering area, the most common bivalve was the Bean-like Tellin (Fabulina fabula, 13 ± 17 ind. m−2), Spisula solida had the highest ash-free dry mass (1.639 g m−2 ± 1.262 g m−2) and F. fabula and Abra alba had the highest flesh-to-shell ratios. Overall benthic species community composition differed considerably between moulting and wintering areas, with fewer species and lower abundances in the wintering area. The high abundance and food quality (flesh-to-shell ratio) of E. leei (an invasive alien to the German North Sea since the 1980s) in the moulting area suggests its relative importance and potentially explains the seasonal differences of Common Scoter distributions. • Overall benthic community compositions were considerably different between the moulting and wintering area. • More bivalve species with higher abundances were found in the moulting area. • The American Razor Clam Ensis leei was the most common bivalve in the moulting area and offered the most profitable food resource. • Ensis leei might not only explain seasonal differences in Common Scoter distribution. • It potentially also had a high influence on the formation of benthic species communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a summary of unchecked reports covers from early December 2014 to early January 2015. Some of the species mentioned include Little Bustards in Yorkshire and Sussex in England, described to be the star birds for the season, a young male in Harlequin Duck in North-east Scotland, and Ireland's first Black Scoter, in Co. Kerry.

An observation from the bridge of a flock of Black Scoters suggests that, nine years after construction, the 12.9 km Confederation Bridge may still be a partial barrier to bird migration. Only 3 of 18 scoters (16.7%) crossed over the structure during the observation period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continued monitoring over 10 years of scoter migrations through Northumberland Strait confirmed that these birds continue to perceive the Confederation Bridge (completed in 1997) as an obstacle. Such problems - and alternatives not causing them - need serious consideration when "strait crossings" are contemplated elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]