From certain angles these birds could be hard to tell apart at this distance. At the right angle the paler background to the face of the young Surfs, and not just the paler spot on the ear coverts, was distinct, creating a pattern remarkably similar to the pale face of the sleeping Black. As the Surfs would turn, this impression would go away and you would just notice the pale spot on the side of the head. The look of the Black Scoter never changed, always with that pale face and dark cap.