Lesser Scaup: The phone goes and its a txt from Joan who was working at BMW "Sacup in front of reception in pool" I was at Burton Point looking for Hen Harriers and getting nowhere so I hurried back to BMW.
Brilliant, it was still there and I got some great views through the scope then it flew off on to the old meres, even better as the drake bird was just a few meters away!
I was so pleased my first Scaup! I was ready to tick it off my list when when people started saying it was a Lesser Scaup!
OK I have seen a lesser before it was smaller then a Tufted Duck with darker dirty looking sides with a notch on the back of its head.
I was a little disappointed as a Scaup would of made it on to my LIFE AND YEAR LIST. Oh well what a good bird for the reserve and this time the pictures where a little better.
This photo shows why it was a Lesser Scaup and not just a normal one, see the black nail on the end of its bill, well on this bird, the Lesser its is small and narrow on the Scaup it is large and flatter! The Lesser also has a different shaped crown and slightly different back.
I spent the rest of the day doing the RSPB Skydancer event at Parkgate and got two male Hen Harriers, one sub adult and one full, awesome birds!
SEE THIS LINK FOR MORE ID: http://tiny.cc/u2vetw
