It's Scaup (ID) season!

[Scott Somershoe]

Ah yes, everyone's favorite time of the year!  You know, the time of the year when some Greater Scaup may or may not be mixed in with Lesser Scaup around the Front Range and may or may not overwinter in various places, esp. in Jefferson Co.

Now that a few Lesser's are back and some Greaters are being reported, I'd encourage all you scaup lovers (and those that struggle with scaup from time to time or struggle nearly all the time, meaning everyone!) to reread, study, and memorize Tony's great blog post about Scaup ID. There is nothing wrong with reporting birds as "Scaup sp." In fact it's encouraged to use scaup sp. when there is any doubt on the ID.

http://cowyebird.blogspot.com/2018/02/greater-scaup-ebird-problem-child.html

Cheers,

Scott Somershoe

Littleton CO