Summer scaup - where from? (1 Viewer)

[edenwatcher]

In the UK we are familiar enough with scaup as a winter visitor. Indeed Fife used to be a hotspot for the species until the outfall at Leven disappeared. I remember 1000+ not so many years ago ...
However here on the inner Eden estuary we tend to observe most scaup during the summer months, from late July onwards. These are thought to result from post-breeding dispersal of Icelandic birds which seems plausible enough. As I have reported elsewhere (http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=15443) this year a single drake appeared at the end of May, followed yesterday by a group of 4 (3 drakes). Why are these here now? Are they non-breeders, failed breeders, very late migrants? I see no reason to suppose captive origin, after all Father McKinney has pronounced on ducks in eastern Scotland .

Rob

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

I suppose drakes don't have too much to do with raising the young, so they could start dispersing pretty early. Around Aberdeen there are currently several thousand Common Scoters and a fair few Velvets (not to mention 2 Surfies), both of which have a similar breeding range to Scaup. I guess these birds just leave their breeding grounds (if they ever get there) quite early and find a nice spot to moult.