Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis

Lesser Scaup is a North American duck which wasn't recorded in the UK until 1987. Since then it has become one of the more regular transatlantic vagrants.

I have seen quite a few Lesser Scaups in the UK but none showed better than this individual.

Lesser Scaup, Cosmeston (Glamorgan, UK), 23rd February 2012

In these poor photos the Lesser Scaup is at the rear of the Tufted Ducks - there is also a Greater Scaup in the front of the flock.

Lesser Scaup (rear) with Greater Scaup (front) and Tufted Ducks, St John's Loch (Highland, UK), 25th February 2012

This was a surprisingly long-awaited first for Norfolk. Unfortunately it never came close enough for photos while I was there - these dots being the best I could manage.

Lesser Scaup, Colney (Norfolk, UK), 2nd July 2023

I've seen a few more Lesser Scaup in North America but didn't manage to get very good photos of any of them, and no photos at all of any females. In this flock the one female was a Ring-necked Duck, the drakes all being Lesser Scaup.

Lesser Scaups (and Ring-necked Duck), Emerald Lake (British Columbia, Canada), 17th September 2006