Aythya ID help (1 Viewer)

[Marcio Cachapela]

Hi all
I saw this Aythya yesterday near Lisbon, Portugal, between a few Aythya fuligula and other duck species.
In recent weeks have appeared some Aythya marila and Aythya affinis at Portugal.
This ducklooked a little bigger than Aythya fuligula near.
The bill looks strong and head shape looks rounded.
Would like to have some opinions please, sorry bad pics.
Thanks in advance

 

[Marcio Cachapela]

Hi all
I saw this Aythya yesterday near Lisbon, Portugal, between a few Aythya fuligula and other duck species.
In recent weeks have appeared some Aythya marila and Aythya affinis at Portugal.
This ducklooked a little bigger than Aythya fuligula near.
The bill looks strong and head shape looks rounded.
Would like to have some opinions please, sorry bad pics.
Thanks in advance

A few more pics

 

[SteveClifton]

Can't see anything to rule out Tufted Duck A fuligula in most images, but the second image in post #2 looks much more like a Greater Scaup A marila. Perhaps also the third pic in post #1?

Are you sure all are of the same bird?

 

[Marcio Cachapela]

Can't see anything to rule out Tufted Duck A fuligula in most images, but the second image in post #2 looks much more like a Greater Scaup A marila. Perhaps also the third pic in post #1?

Are you sure all are of the same bird?

Yes im pretty sure of it.
Pics from post#1 were made in sequence as pics from post#2 a few minutes later.
Unfortunally the duck was backlighted.

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

If all picture shows the same bird, than I am with Steve, a Greater Scaup can be ruled out. The bird looks small and sleek in comparison to the Shoveler around, even if taken into account that a bird in bad condition can be smaller. More, head-body ratio seems better for a Tufted Duck.
On first impression. it seems one of those Tufted Ducks that ghosts a Scaup, but reveal its true identity after prolonged views. Look at picture 5 from the first post.
But there is a caveat: I cant ignore the other pictures, for example nr. 4 from first post, where the "horizontal-oval shape" of the head-bill profile seems present, so good to look for, when scanning Tufted Duck flocks for Scaups hiding between them.
Conclusion: people with much experience with 1 cy Lesser Scaup please help! Can this be ruled out with confidence?

 

[Marcio Cachapela]

If all picture shows the same bird, than I am with Steve, a Greater Scaup can be ruled out. The bird looks small and sleek in comparison to the Shoveler around, even if taken into account that a bird in bad condition can be smaller. More, head-body ratio seems better for a Tufted Duck.
On first impression. it seems one of those Tufted Ducks that ghosts a Scaup, but reveal its true identity after prolonged views. Look at picture 5 from the first post.
But there is a caveat: I cant ignore the other pictures, for example nr. 4 from first post, where the "horizontal-oval shape" of the head-bill profile seems present, so good to look for, when scanning Tufted Duck flocks for Scaups hiding between them.
Conclusion: people with much experience with 1 cy Lesser Scaup please help! Can this be ruled out with confidence?

Thanks for your opinion.
made this little video aswell, not best quality but you can see more or less the bird size.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBNafypWBvY

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello Marcio,
thank you for the interesting video. It confirms, that a Greater Scaup can be ruled out imo, but I hope someone jumps in with much experience of Lesser Scaup. Did you notice the Ring-necked-duck appearing at around 0:09 min. from the lower right corner?

 

[Joern Lehmhus]

I don´t think it is safely ientifiable from these photos ( but i get an impression of tufted duck rather than anything else )

 

[Marcio Cachapela]

Hello Marcio,
thank you for the interesting video. It confirms, that a Greater Scaup can be ruled out imo, but I hope someone jumps in with much experience of Lesser Scaup. Did you notice the Ring-necked-duck appearing at around 0:09 min. from the lower right corner?

Well it stays Aythya fuligula! And yes i saw the ring-necked before. It was the first star of the day! :-D
It seems a female or juvenile.