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Scaup ID question



Tracy and I had a pleasant trip through the Delmarva doing some "cheap
birding", that is chasing rarities other people found and staked out.  Not
quite as rewarding as finding them yourself, but when it comes to
identifying winter empids, I'm happy to know that what I'm looking at has
already been professionally identified :-)  Anyway, we found a duck in
Delaware that may, or may not, have been related to a Tufted Duck.  She
looked pretty much like the hen Tufted I saw 2 years ago at this locations,
but did not have as much of a tuft as I remembered.  There was also a drake
Tufted x scaup hybrid present.   Anyway, this hen had absolutely no white
on the head at the junction of the bill.  All of the scaup I've seen have
some degree of white at the junction.  Anybody have experience with scaup
hens without any white on the head?

Thanks for any opinions, and thanks to those who responded with info on
Barney, the Alexandria Barnacle Goose.  We had him within 30 seconds of
parking the car thanks in part to your directions and suggestions.

Best,
Steve Shultz
Apex, NC