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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Cambridgeshire Birding (2 Viewers)

Grafham Water 3 Nov; 3 Bewick’s Swans, female Scaup. Caspian Gull imm.
No sign of Slavonian Grebe today though RBA indicate it was present.
 
Matthebirder said:
Grafham Water 3 Nov; 3 Bewick’s Swans, female Scaup. Caspian Gull imm.
No sign of Slavonian Grebe today though RBA indicate it was present.
Click to expand...

No sign of Slavonian Grebe today either, but 6 Red-crested Pochards (5 drks) and female Scaup still.

Assume Bewick's are likely the annually returning birds.
 
Interesting bird (the male), but yes, presumably a hybrid. I wonder if the reduced black on nail suggests Lesser Scaup x Tufted? How big is it compared to the Tufted Ducks. Whereabouts are they hanging out?

The female Scaup looks to be different to the one seen off the dam earlier this winter?
 
Grafham Water 24 Nov; Red-breasted Merganser this morning. Common Scoter female still off Savages Creek.
A single Great White Egret in Dudney Creek this afternoon.

Regarding the 'scaups' - didn't see them today; it's a matter of pot luck finding them as they seem to move around randomly with the various flocks of Tufted Ducks. The photos on 23rd were off the path between the carpark and Savages at dusk; but they weren't there this afternoon. I'm assuming the male is the same one that I have various photos of including the open wings in flight where clearly not 'lesser' I believe. Was a bit unsure as the head shape looked different yesterday with clear peak at the rear that didn't seem obvious before. The grey seems too dark but looking as some of the recent ones on RBA gallery, some look very similar and as my images are extremely poor in very low light on high magnification the detail is lost. Close ups on RAW show vermiculation that you can see in a scope if close enough. I'll try and reprocess an image to show this if possible. Size is as Tufted male but smaller than the female; I'm also unsure if it is the same female as the earlier one had pale patches on cheeks; so therefore have to be wary of making comparisons ie this female really a greater?

A few extra images added, slightly more cropped but with very little sharpening to avoid artifacts considering ISO was 6400 and 800mm in the rain. The slightly better ones here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/avesandmore/49117331528/in/album-72157705544150001/lightbox/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/avesandmore/49117844231/in/album-72157705544150001/lightbox/
 
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I should add, if looking at the ‘better’ images I would try to use a full size computer screen as even the best phone screens won’t resolve enough detail. Hopefully I will get better images in good light at some point and get the ISO down. If anyone is lucky enough to digiscope the bird on a bright day I would be interested in seeing the results.

Added images, very cropped.
The female scaups do appear to be different birds therefore the recent one associating with the hybrid drake needs a little bit more scrutiny ideally
 

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Matthebirder said:
Grafham Water 24 Nov; Red-breasted Merganser this morning. Common Scoter female still off Savages Creek.
A single Great White Egret in Dudney Creek this afternoon.

Regarding the 'scaups' - didn't see them today; it's a matter of pot luck finding them as they seem to move around randomly with the various flocks of Tufted Ducks. The photos on 23rd were off the path between the carpark and Savages at dusk; but they weren't there this afternoon. I'm assuming the male is the same one that I have various photos of including the open wings in flight where clearly not 'lesser' I believe. Was a bit unsure as the head shape looked different yesterday with clear peak at the rear that didn't seem obvious before. The grey seems too dark but looking as some of the recent ones on RBA gallery, some look very similar and as my images are extremely poor in very low light on high magnification the detail is lost. Close ups on RAW show vermiculation that you can see in a scope if close enough. I'll try and reprocess an image to show this if possible. Size is as Tufted male but smaller than the female; I'm also unsure if it is the same female as the earlier one had pale patches on cheeks; so therefore have to be wary of making comparisons ie this female really a greater?

A few extra images added, slightly more cropped but with very little sharpening to avoid artifacts considering ISO was 6400 and 800mm in the rain. The slightly better ones here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/avesandmore/49117331528/in/album-72157705544150001/lightbox/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/avesandmore/49117844231/in/album-72157705544150001/lightbox/
Click to expand...

Having discovered this website tonight and looking over the very large collection of 'claimed' Lesser Scaups way back you will see quite a few that resemble the male 'hybrid' as photographed recently at Grafham.
https://www.birdguides.com/gallery/...tBy=UploadDate&Images=true&Videos=true&page=1

It's going to be difficult getting close-up photos like most of the images on the birdguides site are that give a very different appearance to the birds. I suspect that if someone can get the perfect shot a lot more detail will be seen; the flight shots do steer away from Lesser though assuming this is the same individual........
 
I've always been amazed by the number of hybrid's which make it on to websites as Lesser Scaups (even after reidentification in the field, it seems people don't go back and remove the images!).

I think the mantle pattern, and tone of grey, are enough to eliminate a Lesser Scaup (this is likely the same hybrid which has been seen at Grafham in previous winters). The wing pattern (assuming its the same bird) is another confirmation of this. Parentage is difficult to assess, as Pochard x Tufted can have reduced black on the nail. I think the female looks okay for a Greater Scaup, and this might be a clue to the parentage of the male.....
 
Matthebirder said:
Grafham water - 24 Nov - additional forgotten item.
A lone Avocet off Savages creek entrance, rather odd record.
Click to expand...

Yes an interesting record Matt, as you know, we usually get them in first half of the year, and autumn records are unusual - however, given a northerly wind (and drop in temperature) we sometimes get them in November - presumed to be birds moving from The Wash / Norfolk to the south coast.
 
Grafham water 30 Nov : FOG! most of the day. Two Common Sandpipers on the dam easy to photograph in the fog as they couldn't see me..... (plus one at the western end) Nuthatch calling near Savages Creek hide late pm.
 
Matthebirder said:
Grafham water 30 Nov : FOG! most of the day. Two Common Sandpipers on the dam easy to photograph in the fog as they couldn't see me..... (plus one at the western end) Nuthatch calling near Savages Creek hide late pm.
Click to expand...

Hi Matt,
Do you think 3 Common Sandpipers present currently then? This is unprecedented (I think) as usually the maximum number in winter is 1 or 2 birds.

Mark
 
Yesterday 1st Dec I was photographing 2 together on the dam. They were there Saturday too, plus later there was a single along path approaching Savages Creek. Think probably 3 as the ones on the dam seem to stay reasonably close together. For anyone wanting to study the finer points of structure and plumage the ones on the dam are tolerant as long as you let them walk up to you!
 
Grafham water 10 Dec ; a Great White Egret at the west end this morning plus the female Scaup and look-alike female tufted showing a lot of white above the bill off the dam.
 
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