scaup

Bolsa Chica ecological preserve, Huntington Beach, California (1/1/21 approx 3:30) Hi everyone I was wondering if someone could please help me with this ID. I’m leaning one way but I want to make sure. Is this a lesser or greater scaup? Thank you!

Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) Male doing wing flaps.

1 male and 2 females sheltering inland from strong winds

Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) Male.

Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) Female.

Taken at the Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline, Arrowhead Marsh (Oakland, CA, USA). At this particular nature area, Greater Scaups would be by far the most common ducks. But their wide variations in patterns based on age and gender makes them always a fun subject to photograph; always...

Taken at the Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline (Oakland, CA, USA).

Cambridge, MD, on the Eastern Shore, provides a wintering home for many ducks.

This duck was part of small group of Lesser Scaup, Ring-billed and Northern Shoveler ducks. This was on a small lake that for the last two has not been popular with migrants. I am glad to see them return.

Photo taken at Hirsel Lake in the Scottish Borders.

Taken at the Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline. Greater Scaups are very plentiful here, and seem to overwinter the longest of all the seasonal migrants. So quite common in the winter, often in rafts of 2-3 dozen in places, even as spring gets started and only the local birds remain.

Taken at the Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline at about 60m. Greater Scaup (left, flapping) and Clark's Grebe (right). Scaups are plentiful here, but first time I've seen one: a) on land, and b) doing anything but swimming. The Clark's Grebe is also new to me, and I've never seen the...

Scaup on Lake Wakatipu, South Island, NZ

Taken at the Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline at about 15m. I appear to be "getting the look."

The Lessor Scaup duck winters on the West Coast of North America, which is where I managed to photograph this magnificent male, stretching its wings. It is quite a beautiful and stunning duck, and I tried to capture this. Its feathers along the wings are quite beautiful, and with the creep of...

Taken at the Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline at about 10m.

Taken at the Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline at about 10m. This fellow seemed to be having a good day just joyfully paddling away. Got quite a few good photos.

Very pretty ducks at the refuge. I think the cold weather up north has driven them down here to the Gulf coast.

Lesser Scaup hangs out with the Greaters

Taken at the Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline at about 8m. Showing a little tail. ;-p

Taken at the Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline at about 8m.

I startled this scaup who was under the dock. The lake was extremely rough because a cool front was coming and it was very windy. The poor scaup scooted away in the choppy water.