Mysterious white waterfowl with the coots

What is it? Why doesn't it leave?

By jim williams

December 12, 2017 at 7:32PM
(The Minnesota Star Tribune)

You perhaps noticed in the coot photos a white waterfowl in the water with them. It is larger than a coot, and appears to have an orange bill. It's too far for me to make an ID call. If it can fly, though, why hasn't it left? The eagles do not seem to be targeting it.

There is a small island on the west side of the entry to Wayzata Bay. Eagles have been roostin there. In this photo you can see several in the trees, four on the ice at the righthand end of the island, and one eagle in the air at that edge of the photo. The total number of eagles visible from the Wayzata city beach at peak times was at least 32.

(James J. Williams /The Minnesota Star Tribune)
(James J. Williams /The Minnesota Star Tribune)

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