Bird News

I took a few pictures of the mystery drake Aythya duck at Cheddar Reservoir today and present them below with comparison shots of Greater and Lesser Scaup taken at Cheddar Reservoir in 2007. I have made some observations that I hope will be instructional and enable identification of Lesser Scaup when confronted with a bird looking like the bird present at Cheddar Reservoir for the last few days.

Greater Scaup © Nigel Milbourne 2007

Mystery Aythya © Nigel Milbourne 2008

Lesser Scaup © Nigel Milbourne 2007

The side view shows a bird that is very similar to Lesser Scaup. The back looks dark grey and the head shape looks peaked at the rear. The white panel showed fine brown/grey vermiculations. This certainly points more towards Lesser rather than Greater Scaup.

Lesser Scaup & Tufted Duck © Nigel Milbourne 2007

Mystery Aythya © Nigel Milbourne 2007

Only the nail of Lesser Scaup is black as shown in the head-on shot above. The mystery Aythya seems to show a black nail that spreads along the tip about as much as Greater Scaup, but certanly not as much as Tufted Duck. Note also the high peaked head of Lesser Scaup above the eyes, the mystery bird does not appear to show such a high dome in the shot above.

Greater Scaup © Nigel Milbourne 2007

Mystery Aythya © Nigel Milbourne 2007

The underwing of the mystery bird appears to be uniformly pale across the primary and secondary feathers and whiter on the underside of the primaries compared with the 1st-winter Greater Scaup. I also noted the brown feathers separating the flank and belly is similar in both birds. I don't think a drake Tufted Duck would show this feature, but would welcome comments.

This last shot is conclusive in proving that the bird is not a Lesser Scaup because the white wing panel extends across the secondary and into the primary feathers. A Lesser Scaup would have a white secondary panel and grey primary feathers. So that's my take on things.

Now we move to the grown up bit. What could the parentage of the mystery bird be? I believe the high back is consistent with one of the parents being a Pochard. If the other was a Tufted Duck then I think the extent of black on the bill would be greater. Other possibilities could be Ferruginous Duck (possible given we have a couple in the area), Greater Scaup (unlikley due to geographical separation in breeding season) or Lesser Scaup.

Collins Bird Guide (Svensson et al) pictures Scaup x Tufted Duck and Tufted Duck x Pochard hybrids both of which look similar to Lesser Scaup drakes. Neither quite match our bird, though there could be a wide range of intermediate features. So, I'm going to cop out at that point and invite debate. Nigel Milbourne, 13th January 2008.

		Messageboard The messageboard is open to all visitors to the website. Click on the 'Enter My Forum' button to go to the messageboard Bonaparte's Gull at Cheddar Reservoir 1st-winter Bonaparte's & Black-headed Gulls © Nigel Milbourne 2008 This photograph shows the main differences between the Bonaparte's Gull and the confusion species Black-headed Gull of the same age rather nicely. I hope the following points will help those going to look for the bird: Smaller size of BG Black bill of BG (only a hint of red at base of lower mandible with close views) Bill straighter & narrower than BHG Grey mantle extends further onto nape on BG Pale flesh to pink legs compared with red-orange of BHG Larger & darker ear spot of BG Narrow black M on upper wing formed by carpal bars of BG Neat black trailing edge to primary & secondary feathers on BG Black in greater primary coverts on BG Primaries are darker on the underwing of the BHG I believe congratulations are in order to James Packer for a great find - well done! Aythya Ducks at Cheddar Reservoir I took a few pictures of the mystery drake Aythya duck at Cheddar Reservoir today and present them below with comparison shots of Greater and Lesser Scaup taken at Cheddar Reservoir in 2007. I have made some observations that I hope will be instructional and enable identification of Lesser Scaup when confronted with a bird looking like the bird present at Cheddar Reservoir for the last few days. Greater Scaup © Nigel Milbourne 2007 Mystery Aythya © Nigel Milbourne 2008 Lesser Scaup © Nigel Milbourne 2007 The side view shows a bird that is very similar to Lesser Scaup. The back looks dark grey and the head shape looks peaked at the rear. The white panel showed fine brown/grey vermiculations. This certainly points more towards Lesser rather than Greater Scaup. Lesser Scaup & Tufted Duck © Nigel Milbourne 2007 Mystery Aythya © Nigel Milbourne 2007 Only the nail of Lesser Scaup is black as shown in the head-on shot above. The mystery Aythya seems to show a black nail that spreads along the tip about as much as Greater Scaup, but certanly not as much as Tufted Duck. Note also the high peaked head of Lesser Scaup above the eyes, the mystery bird does not appear to show such a high dome in the shot above. Greater Scaup © Nigel Milbourne 2007 Mystery Aythya © Nigel Milbourne 2007 The underwing of the mystery bird appears to be uniformly pale across the primary and secondary feathers and whiter on the underside of the primaries compared with the 1st-winter Greater Scaup. I also noted the brown feathers separating the flank and belly is similar in both birds. I don't think a drake Tufted Duck would show this feature, but would welcome comments. Mystery Aythya © Nigel Milbourne 2007 This last shot is conclusive in proving that the bird is not a Lesser Scaup because the white wing panel extends across the secondary and into the primary feathers. A Lesser Scaup would have a white secondary panel and grey primary feathers. So that's my take on things. Now we move to the grown up bit. What could the parentage of the mystery bird be? I believe the high back is consistent with one of the parents being a Pochard. If the other was a Tufted Duck then I think the extent of black on the bill would be greater. Other possibilities could be Ferruginous Duck (possible given we have a couple in the area), Greater Scaup (unlikley due to geographical separation in breeding season) or Lesser Scaup. Collins Bird Guide (Svensson et al) pictures Scaup x Tufted Duck and Tufted Duck x Pochard hybrids both of which look similar to Lesser Scaup drakes. Neither quite match our bird, though there could be a wide range of intermediate features. So, I'm going to cop out at that point and invite debate. Nigel Milbourne, 13th January 2008.