Drake Lesser Scaup in early March, Salt Lake County, UtahDrake Lesser Scaup in early March – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

On the 5th of March I was at the local pond in the afternoon and the regular birds were there, lots of Canada Geese, Mallards, American Coots and one or two Pied-billed Grebes. Way out I spotted a pair of  Ring-necked Ducks but I figured they wouldn’t come close enough to photograph because they seem so skittish at this pond. Nothing much was going on, the geese weren’t flying in and out and I thought I was wasting time until another duck that was cruising slowly towards the shore caught my eye, at first my brain said “Ring-necked” then I looked closer and saw that it was a drake Lesser Scaup.

Diving drake Lesser Scaup, Salt Lake County, UtahDiving drake Lesser Scaup – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

In all the time I have spent at the local pond I believe this is the first Lesser Scaup I have found there so you just know I had to take photos of it as it swam closer and closer to where I was!

Lesser Scaup are fairly common diving ducks but I don’t see them all that often here in northern Utah at the locations where I most often photograph birds. The population of Lesser Scaup is in a slow but steady decline of 1.8% per year, between 1996 and 2015 that is a cumulative decline of 59%. I am aware that biologists are studying Lesser Scaup at Red Rock Lakes NWR because of their declining numbers.

Lesser Scaup drake floating on a pond, Salt Lake County, UtahLesser Scaup drake floating on a pond – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

The drake Lesser Scaup did come in close enough to be able to take a few images of it where it almost filled the frame before a man and his dog walked by and caused the scaup to make a hasty retreat to the middle of the pond. Even though I only photographed the Lesser Scaup for a few minutes finding and photographing this drake was one of the top highlights of my day.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Lesser Scaup photos plus facts and information about this species.