Birds of the Upper Cumberland Region: Species Accounts

White-winged Scoter (Melanitta fusca)

Abundance: Very Uncommon (14 records in 7 counties, 4 in Kentucky and 3 in Tennessee).

Status: Winter Resident (8 fall records; 5 winter records; 1 spring record), photograph and videotape.

Regional High Count: 3 (2 records below).

Information on Records: 

17-29 November 1974 (2) Monterey Lake, Putnam County, Tennessee (William J. Jones; Stedman 1993).

2 November 1984 (2) Waitsboro Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr.; Stamm 1985a; Palmer-Ball 2003).

5-8 November 1989 (1) Cane Creek Park, Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman photo, Barbara H. Stedman; Stedman 1993), photo.

19 January 1993 (1) Cane Creek Park, Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Daniel L. Combs, Thomas H. Roberts et al.; Stedman 1993).

29-30 October 1997 (1 immature) Cane Creek Park, Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman et al.; Fekel 1998a).

17 November 1997 (2) Barren River Reservoir, Barren County, Kentucky (David L. Roemer; Busroe 1998a).

9 January 1999 (1 immature) Cane Creek Park, Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman et al.; Fekel 1999b; Stedman 1999b).

1 November 2002 (1) Floating Mill Recreation Area, Center Hill Lake, DeKalb County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman; Casteel 2003a).

19 November 2002 (1) Barren River Reservoir, Barren County, Kentucky (David L. Roemer videotape; Busroe 2003a), videotape.

16 February 2004 (2--male and female) Dale Hollow Lake, Clinton County, Kentucky (Stephen J. Stedman photo, Terry M. Campbell unpubl. data).

18 & 27 February 2007 (2) Waitsboro Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton photo; Palmer-Ball and McNeeley 2007b).

18  February 2007 (3) Wolf Creek Dam, Russell County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton photo; Palmer-Ball and McNeeley 2007b).

24 October 2007 (3) Walnut Creek, Barren River Reservoir, Barren County, Kentucky (David L. Roemer unpubl. data).

2 March 2008 (1) Lake Holiday, Cumberland County, Tennessee (Damien J. Simbeck unpubl. data).

Regional Extreme Dates: 

    Early Fall: 24 October 2007 (3; Barren County, Kentucky; David L. Roemer unpubl. data).

    Late Spring: 2 March 2008 (1; Cumberland County, Tennessee; Damien J. Simbeck unpubl. data).

YardWatch Results 2003 and 2004: No registrations.

Habitat: Medium- to large-sized lakes.

Remarks: Although referred to as the most common of Tennessee scoters by Robinson (1990), the White-wing has definitely been less frequently encountered than the Surf Scoter within the Upper Cumberland Region during the 1990s and early 2000s.  Only one Regional record involves a stay of more than a few days.

Counties with Observations (boldfaced):

To see a map (Figure 1) displaying the data in the table above, click on the boldfaced word in this sentence.

Literature Cited