Scaup (Greater Scaup) Aythya marila

This species normally winters in quite small numbers in Norfolk, the most regular sites being in the west of the county including Holme, Snettisham and Denver Sluice.

Scaup, Denver Sluice, 2-Jan-05 Scaup, Denver Sluice, 2-Jan-05
Scaup, Denver Sluice, 2-Jan-05 Scaup, Denver Sluice, 2-Jan-05
Scaup, Denver Sluice, 2-Jan-05 Scaup, Denver Sluice, 2-Jan-05

1 first-winter male & 2 female Scaup, Denver Sluice (Norfolk, UK), 2nd January 2005

 

Scaup, Loch Ryan, 28-Dec-05 Scaup, Loch Ryan, 28-Dec-05

male & female Scaup, Loch Ryan (Dumfries & Galloway, UK), 28th December 2005

 

Scaup, Wells, 27-Feb-10 Scaup, Wells, 27-Feb-10
Scaup, Wells, 27-Feb-10 Scaup, Wells, 27-Feb-10
Scaup, Wells, 27-Feb-10 Scaup, Wells, 27-Feb-10
Scaup, Wells, 27-Feb-10 Scaup, Wells, 27-Feb-10

1 adult male, 1 first-winter male & 1-2 female Scaup, Wells (Norfolk, UK), 27th February 2010

 

Scaup, Snettisham, 18-Aug-03 Scaup, Snettisham, 19-Sep-03

female Scaup, Snettisham (Norfolk, UK), 18th August 2003

 

female Scaup, Snettisham (Norfolk, UK), 19th September 2003

 

Scaup, Snettisham, 5-Jul-04

The same bird is shown in each of these 3 photos.

This bird has been resident at Snetttisham for several years. The species is not normally present in the county during the summer and it has been reported that this bird is an escape. The photo top left appears to show the reflection of a ring on its left leg, but there isn't enough detail to see what type of ring it is.

 

female Scaup, Snettisham (Norfolk, UK), 5th July 2004

 

 

Scaup, Swanton Morley, 21-Dec-07 Scaup, Swanton Morley, 21-Dec-07
Scaup, Swanton Morley, 21-Dec-07 Scaup, Swanton Morley, 21-Dec-07
Scaup, Swanton Morley, 21-Dec-07  

first-winter male Scaup (with Tufted Ducks), Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 21st December 2007

 
Scaup, Swanton Morley, 24-Nov-07 Scaup, Swanton Morley, 24-Nov-07

Scaup, Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 24th November 2007. I'm assuming that the indistinct white patch around the bill indicates that this is a juvenile male rather than a female, but I'd welcome comments on this as I've not seen female-type Scaups without a clear white face patch before. If I'm right, it is perhaps the same bird as the one photographed at the same site on my next visit four weeks later, shown above.

 
Scaup, Whitlingham Broad, 7-Feb-09 Scaup, Whitlingham Broad, 7-Feb-09
Scaup, Whitlingham Broad, 7-Feb-09  

first-winter Scaup, Whitlingham Broad (Norfolk, UK), 7th February 2010

 
Scaup, Kings Lynn, 25-Jan-09  

first-winter male Scaup (with Mallard), Kings Lynn Docks (Norfolk, UK), 25th January 2009