Resumen de Two Black Scoters (Melanitta nigra) moulting flight-feathers in the Gulf of Valencia (W Mediterranean)
The Black Scoter Melanitta nigra is a scarce winter visitor to the Western Mediterranean and summer records are rare. Though the moult of flight-feathers is to be expected in summering individuals, there were no previous records of Black Scoters undergoing moult in the Gulf of Valencia. The timing of moult is described for the two immature birds, a female that was captured and a male that was oiled, both in August 7 996.60th would have remained unrecorded if humans had not interfered with them, so it seems possible thai other Black Scoters moulting in the Gulf of Valencia could remain unrecorded.
