LESC Lesser Scaup, Aythya affinis (Eyton, 1838). Chesapeake Bay at North Beach, Calvert Co., Maryland, USA. Photo by David L. Govoni ©2013.
Cornell: www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Lesser_Scaup/id
EOL: eol.org/pages/1048973/overview
Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesser_Scaup
SUSC Surf Scoter, Melanitta perspicillata (Linnaeus, 1758). Chesapeake Bay at North Beach, Calvert Co., Maryland, USA. Photo by David L. Govoni ©2013.
Cornell: www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Surf_Scoter/id
EOL: eol.org/pages/1048997/overview
Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surf_Scoter
LTDU Long-tailed Duck, Clangula hyemalis (Linnaeus, 1758). Adult male, winter. Chesapeake Bay at North Beach, Calvert Co., Maryland, USA. Photo by David L. Govoni ©2013.
Cornell: www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/long-tailed_duck/id
EOL: eol.org/pages/1048978/overview
Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-tailed_Duck
HOGR Horned Grebe, Podiceps auritus (Linnaeus, 1758). Chesapeake Bay at North Beach, Calvert Co., Maryland, USA. Photo by David L. Govoni ©2013.
Cornell: www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Horned_Grebe/id
EOL: eol.org/pages/1047339/overview
Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horned_Grebe
I'm interested in second opinions. I'm not confident in identifying greater scaups. Is the green sheen a reliable difference? Probably about 40 scaups seen within the vicinity of the marina.
About eight herons, huddling in the marsh together. Perhaps this is an overnight spot?
Mostly lesser scaups, with possibly an embedded greater scaup female?
This observation is for the female in the center of the image. I suspect she might be a greater scaup, because of the shape of the head without a conspicuous tuft and because of the amount of white at the base of the bill (compare to other females), but I'm not sure.
A scaup in a "mixed" duck flock-- a shoveler, buffleheads, and a ruddy.
A scruffy looking shoveler, passing time with a male scaup. This was the only shoveler seen that day--perhaps it is not well, and/or left behind by the rest of its kind?
