Posted by Gary Potter (65.160.83.194) on December 17, 2001 at 11:41:55:
I think that all three are Greater Scaup. I have no experience with supper scaup, and the female in the upper photo seems much too light for a Scaup. Are they that light in the Summer, or is this something else? The male in the upper photo is a Greater based on the massive bill which to me seems to have an extensive black nail. Also, the head shape on both of these birds seems rounded like Greater, without the peaked look of Lesser. Since the female looks about the same size and shape I assume it is also a Greater Scaup. The nail looks to be more extensive than a Lesser would show. I feel very confidant on the male and the female in the lower photo, but not on the female in the upper photo. It would not take much to convince me that the July female is something else!