Lesser Scaup
The last of the beautiful winter ducks have departed the Chesapeake Bay region, leaving a few stragglers here and there for whatever reasons.
The most of any one winter duck visiting in our local area were Lesser Scaup. I got so many wonderful captures of them, it was hard cutting down my final ones to these.
Lesser Scaup males vying for a female’s attention
Female Lesser Scaup and her entourage
Lesser Scaup (female)
Lesser Scaup (male)
The United States harbors Lesser Scaup year-round in parts of Washington and Oregon, but the rest of the country’s winter visiting Lesser Scaup migrate back to breed in Montana, Wyoming, and Canada.
Lesser Scaup in flight
Lesser Scaup landing
Lesser Scaup landing
Lesser Scaup landing
Lesser Scaup taking off at sunset
Lesser Scaup taking off after sunset
Lesser Scaup taking off after sunset
Lesser Scaup taking off at sunset
Female Lesser Scaup coming in for a landing
Female Lesser Scaup landing
Female Lesser Scaup landing
Female Lesser Scaup landing
Female Lesser Scaup landing with reflections
Female Lesser Scaup coming in for a landing
Female Lesser Scaup landing
Female Lesser Scaup landing
Female Lesser Scaup landing with reflections
Male Lesser Scaup landing
Lesser Scaup (male) coming in for a landing
Lesser Scaup (male) preparing to land
Lesser Scaup (male) landing
Lesser Scaup are the most abundant diving duck in North America, with a breeding population estimated at 3.8 million.
Male Lesser Scaup popping up from a dive
Male Lesser Scaup popping up from a dive
Male Lesser Scaup up and ready for another dive
Male Lesser Scaup “popping back up” from a dive for food
Way too many photos, sorry!
“Yes, Donna, too many photos!”
Lesser Scaup (male)
Lesser Scaup (male)
How nice to know they will be back late Fall the end of this year!
Too many photos? Not at all, Donna! These little ducks are so beautiful. The female must be a great catch considering her entourage. 😬😎🙏🏻😍
Aww thanks John! I can get carried away. hee hee Aren’t those blue bills the prettiest?!! 🙂
Very! Like miniature Drakes and Mallards. ❤️
Fantastic photos, Donna. Interesting info about the lesser scaups, too. How nice that you still have a small population to enjoy before they migrate. Really like the landing shots of the scaups here, especially that one with all four in a row preparing to land. Also great photos of the males vying for the females. Thanks so much.
Thank you, Jet, and you’re welcome! I had a great time with the Lesser Scaup. With Spring here, the swift change of bird species is happening quickly. It’s another wonderful start of another season of change. 🙂
So many terrific portrait and action shots for me to pick a favorite Donna!! That being said, your flight shots (especially the last few “coming in for a landing”) are especially outstanding! Love the tack sharp, brilliant yellow eye and the contrasting color of the purple head.
Thank you, Steve! I had a lot of fun with these little ducks and those gorgeous blue bills & bright yellow eyes. And you know me loving the challenge of flight! 🙂 There are still two males hanging here at the end of our creek, I’m not sure why they haven’t left.
Donna, you are spoiling your readers with so many gorgeous photos of these Lesser Scaup! The flight and landing shots are so fantastic!
Thank you, Hien! ❤ I was truly blessed with so my photo opportunities with this species! Oh and I do love to spoil, ask my grandboys! 😊
Donna, these are beautiful, and I totally understand the ‘waaay too many photos’, as I have the same problem. How to pick just a handful is impossible when they are all so beautiful and full of action! Great job! As of today we have a remaining pair of ruddy ducks and a couple of horned grebes, but I think our lesser scaups have finally departed. Thanks, as always, for sharing!
Thank you, Susan, we have such a hard life when it comes to picking photos, huh?!! 🙂 Ruddy Ducks, cool! I saw one of our grebes few days ago and there are two male Lesser Scaup hanging around us in the creek, they are puzzling me on why they haven’t left yet.
Donna, I love all of the in flight shots you captured…so beautiful! You are very talented!
Aw shucks, thank you, Diane! I have a passion for the challenge of flight. Oh-so-many don’t make the files. lol But, I have improved greatly over the years and love it! 🙂
Your passion definitely shines through. Thanks so much for sharing with all of us. They are just beautiful☀️💚☀️
Your comments have made me smile so big, thank you! 😊
Your photos of the ducks in flight and landing are superb! 🙂
Thank you so much, I enjoy the challenge of flight and action, it’s very rewarding to me! 😊
You have so many great photos, Donna. I like them all! Thank you for the post. 🙂
Thank you, HJ, and you’re so welcome! I had too many great moments and ops! 😉
What fun photographing these Lesser Scaups! I like the shot of the one female being trailed by the 3 Drakes, leaving those patterns from the wakes. but can’t forget the close-ups and the reflections as they come into the water.
Thank you, Jane, they have kept me entertained throughout the winter, they were awesome to photograph. They’re enroute to you now! 🙂
Great shots Donna! That blue bill is so much like the one on our Blue-billed Duck male, though the duck itself is quite different. The Blue-billed Ducked is very very shy of humans, and keeps a long distance making it very difficult to photograph, but your Lesser Scaup seem to be quite settled to have you nearby.
Thank you, Ashley! I’ve been surprised by our Lesser Scaup in the creek, they have grown accustomed somewhat to their surroundings, but are skittish when someone comes walking nearby. My vantage point on my balcony serves me well! 😉
Gorgeous photo sad always Donna.i particularly loved the one of the female Lesser Scaup and her entourage – those herringbone ripples behind all the ducks are just gorgeous.
Thank you Chris! You should see how excited I get when the water is calm/flat and ducks are swimming. When the lighting is right, the water ripples beautifully!
Gorgeous photos of a very pretty little duck!
Thank you, Terry!
I love the patterns, both on water’s surface and on the beautiful ducks themselves. 🙂
Thank you, Tom! Me, ducks, and water are a perfect combo, I love ‘chasing’ the rippling waters around them!
The Lesser Scaup is a funny name for this bird. I never heard of it before. I learned something new today. Brilliant action photos Donna!
Thank you, Al! There is a Greater Scaup as well, but they are not near in population numbers and have a slightly different ‘look’, just to confuse us all! 😉
Amazingly beautiful captures! ❤️
Thank you, Irene!
Amazing pictures of the bird….from all possible moments and angle!! 🙂
Thank you, Indira! They were real good giving me awesome photo ops, it was duck heaven on our creek this past winter! 🙂
There’s no such thing as too many photos! He was wrong, but hilarious 😀 Loved your action shots, Donna.
Thank you, Helen! Wildlife can give some of the most perfect photo ops for some hilarious chuckles and smiles! 😊
So true! You had several good one in this post 😀
Lovely shots Donna! Looking forward to seeing some here before too long.
Thank you, Belinda! I told them to wing on in for you real soon! 😊
Loved this post, Donna. REALLY loved it! 🙂 What a great eye you have. 🙂
Thank you much, Eliza! ❤
Never too many bird photos, Donna. 😊
Thank you much, Tanja! 😊
Love, love, love all the landing shots. I doubt there could ever be too many shots of those! 😀
Thank you, Gunta! No, never enough perfect flight and landing shots! 😉
Terrific shots Donna – I really like the male landing… RH
Thank you, I do too – happy dance on those! 🙂