(Many photos taken - these are a representative selection).
A large flock of scoters and eiders congregated off Gurnet Point between October 11-16, 2017 on their way south. Gurnet residents tell me they cannot recall a sustained visit of numbers like this in recent years. There are well over 1,500 birds (wouldn't surprise me if it were twice that) as they were actively moving abut, both flying and diving. Almost always there were as many as 10-20% underwater.

Estimating the mix, I would say 40% Surf Scoters, 30% White-winged Scoters, 15% Black Scoters and 15% Common Eiders PLUS at least 3 King Eiders!

Both times I have seen them the birds were off the southernmost tip of Gurnet Point -SSW of the Lighthouse and east of the "Boathole". The currents carry the birds rather quickly in different directions dept=ending how far offshore they are. In any given clump one species will predominate but hallways there are others interleaved. Unfortunately Gurnet Point is entirely private property and access is restricted.

In the brief time I had available on 10/11, 10/15, and 10/16 I concentrated on looking for the needle in the haystack (King Eider among the Commons) and was rewarded on the 11th with 2 males and a female , on the 15th one of the males and 16th the female and a male (photos here)