Scaup in Sunlight

It was on the 25th October that Barry Reed found the 1st winter male Scaup at Amwell. I went back late morning to get some shots despite the weather being rather gloomy with really poor light. Luckily, eight days later the bird was still present so I went back to try and get some shots while the sun was out.

The Scaup was still present with some Tufted Ducks towards the southernern end on Tumbling Bay, but a bit further north than last time and therefore distance was an issue. However, by following the Lee Navigation footpath I was able to find a gap in the trees where I was able to get close enough for a few shots.

The bird is now further into its eventual male plumage, with a more extensive area of grey showing on the mantle, and the two pale marks either side of the bill that were evident last time have now disappeared. This photo illustrates the larger size of the Scaup compared to the Tufted Ducks.