Birds of the Upper Cumberland Region: Species Accounts

White-winged Scoter (Melanitta fusca)

Abundance: Very Uncommon;17 records in 8 Regional counties, 4 in Kentucky and 4 in Tennessee (Map of UCR Distribution); data from the Regional bird-monitoring efforts are too few to determine a trend in the population wintering in the Region (see also Regional Bird-Monitoring Plan).

Status: Winter Resident; records during fall (10), winter (6), and spring (1); photograph (see link below) 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).

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/Allen counties, 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/Allen counties, Kentucky (David L. Roemer videotape; Busroe 2003a).

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

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/Allen counties, Kentucky (David L. Roemer).

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

17 January 2011 (1—immature male) Lake Tansi, Cumberland County, Tennessee (Edmund K. LeGrand et al.).

23 November 2013 (2) Lake Tansi, Cumberland County, Tennessee (Edmund K. LeGrand).

10 December 2013 (1) Lake Karen, Warren County, Tennessee (Susan N. McWhirter, N. P. "Mac" McWhirter).

Regional Extreme Dates: 

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

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

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 within the Upper Cumberland Region during the 1990s and 2000s.  Only one Regional record involved a stay of more than a few days.

Check-lists of Birds for the Counties of the UCR

Check-lists of the birds of each county of the Upper Cumberland Region may be viewed by clicking on the links below. For each county, there are two check-lists: one list that shows the species that have been observed and where possible documented in the county within the larger list for the entire Region; and one list that includes only the species observed in the county with annotations for the date and observers for at least one sighting (the ultimate goal of the latter list will be to include annotations for the very first known Regional observation of each species in that county; this goal is probably one that will take many years to complete, if completion is even a possibility). To see if the species discussed in this species account has been observed in a county, click below or click on the link for the Map of UCR Distribution near the top of the page.

Check-lists of Birds for Some Public Access Birding Sites of the UCR

Check-lists of the birds of some public access birding sites within the Upper Cumberland Region may be viewed via the links below. To see if the species dealt with in this species account has been observed within any of these sites, click on the appropriate link below. See the pages for each county within the Gazetteer for links to additional smaller public access birding sites with check-lists in progress.

Literature Cited