Knobby and Surfy and something better?

One of my goals for this summer at our cabin near Bodø was to find some interesting ducks in the fjord close to Fauske. I went a long way to fulfilling that goal by refinding last years Stejnegers White-winged Scoter on Thursday but that species has now become old hat ;-) and I was hoping to find something else. With there being so many scoter here then one of Surf, (American) Black Scoter or Deglandi White-winged Scoter was on my wish list and Barrow's Goldeneye and Harlequin Duck must also be possible. I was therefore a bit annoyed when a Surf Scoter was found on Sunday by people (unsuccesfully) searching for Knobby as I wanted to find one rather than twitch one....

I went out early this morning hoping to see both Surfy and Knobby and with a wish to get some good(ish) pictures. I found Knobby quite easily and over the course of two hours as the tide rose he came close enough for good scope views and some improved pictures. I searched widely for the Surf Scoter but it was only when light conditions changed and a large flock of duck far out in the fjord suddenly became identifiable that I found him. I went through the flock and saw him again in a different place and suspected that there might be two birds but it took quite a while before I had both birds in the same sweep about 70m apart - so I did find my own Surf Scoter :-) !

A very frustrsting bird was a 1st summer (2cy) Black-throated Diver type. I saw it at long range but it was a small bird, appearing no larger than the Velvet Scoters it was with, had a small bill and I saw no white flank patch. I suspect it to be a Pacific Diver and if it is it could well be the same bird earlier seen further south in Trondelag at the same time a (the) Stejnegers was also there. I saw what was probably the same bird on Friday when it just slept so it looks like it is in the area and I may be able to find it again at closer range.

I have previously spoken about how good the fjord close to Fauske is but here are some of the birds I saw today:

250+ Velvet Scoter, 150+ Goldeneye, 70+ Red-breasted Merganser, 25 Long-tailed Ducks, 22 Common Scoter, 40 Slavonian Grebes, 116 Wigeon, 7 Red-throated Divers, 2 Black-throated Divers, 80 Eider, 25 Teal, 2 Pintail plus several hundred duck too distant to ID but probably Velvet Scoter. Easy to see why I like the area isn't it and also strange that it gets so little attention from the locals.

I'll post this now and come back with pictures later - my only time for birding and picture editing is early in the mornings whilst the family sleeps and I nearly need to choose which activity I will do each day and of couse the birding wins hands down.