I’ve said it many times before and I’ll say it again, I have no idea how I got anything done while I was in the corporate grind. Even with the forced downtime to recover from the recent ultra race, it still felt like I was “busy”. The bright spot is looking back I was able to get a number of the “Bri-do” items checked off. The break gave me a chance to turn my attention to the Mothership with two mega posts on this year’s Halloween Haunted Trail Prop Tutorials – the new 2023 tombstones (link here)
..and the Radioactive Spiders (link here). Along with those prop posts, also threw in the Bix 7 recap (link here) and the all too painful recollection from the recent 100K ultra attempt that caused the whole extended rest in the first place (link here). Definitely some heavy lifting posts. Now time to get back to the “wild’ side where we have plenty of material to bring you. Brad just sent me a number of new adventure posts you will surely enjoy and I still need to dip my toe into our Texas and Florida adventures. I want to give Brad and family a bit more time to focus on their affairs, so you are with me today….but first a quick brag.
Congrats to Linda and Ruger who earned their Beginner FastCAT Title yesterday. Basically the 100 yard dash for doggies. Found something Ruger was basically born to compete in and he absolutely loves it. In previous runs he was in the 19.5mph range – dialed it back this weekend to 18.5mph which is still amazing (they had two patches of straw on the course covering muddy areas which he didn’t like and basically leaped over it each time likely accounting for the slower time).
Guessing about now you are wondering if we are ever going to get to the featured duck of the day. Without further delay…
Hit the jump to see a few more pictures of our yellow-eyed wave runner.
Decided I would go ahead and close out the series of Ducks from our March visit to Sunset Park in Las Vegas, NV. In the previous posts I covered to somewhat similar Ducks, the Canvasback (link here) and the Redhead (link here). This Scaup family can also cause some head scratching in the field. There are two here in North America, the Greater and the Lesser.
The Lesser is the more pervasive species covering practically all of North America down into Central America at some point during the year. The Greater’s range stops short in the Southwest and for some reason keeps its distance from the fine folks in South Carolina and the majority of Georgia and Florida. For those outside of the Greater’s range, the ID process is a whole lot easier with the exception of rarities that might show up from time to time. The rest of us have to do a bit of sleuthing to distinguish between the two.
This particular specimen was hanging out in the large pond located in the middle of the park. It caught my attention because it looked different than the majority of other Scaups paddling about. Oddly enough, I ended up not taking pictures of the more “common” looking ones, so I do not have a side by side comparison from that pond. I have covered them in the past though, so you can check out the Lesser version here.
If you look at those poor images in that previous post or better yet, check out the Cornell reference shots (link here), you will notice the Lesser has a very prominent peak towards the back of their head and a slightly flatter back of the neck as a result. That is practically the only way to really distinguish them apart. The reason this featured specimen caught my eye is it had the much more rounded head profile typical of the Greater variety. Note, there is slightly more distinction in the females between the two species.
I will not count out “park friskiness” as it is common to see some cross-breeding in those settings. Typically, that is more pointed at those horny Mallards producing those odd looking green splotchy abominations that terrorize small children out of their Goldfish crackers. This one fit the color profile perfectly so likely just Scaup in the mix if it is a composite. Held a consultation with Ron and went over the reference points again before we came to the consensus on the Greater.
Unfortunately, Cornell is pretty weak on additional interesting facts about this particular Duck. In lieu of that, here is a shot of a Duck also shot that day on the pond. As you can see, this one is very similar to the Scaups, especially the Lesser per the dominant head peak.
That is the Ring-Necked Duck (don’t get me started on the dumb-ass name). Very similar coloring, dark head down to front of the breast and along the back with grey/white on the sides. They also have the same eye which doesn’t help there. Fortunately, they do have a white ring on their bills (Ron refers to them as the Bowling Shoe Duck). Seems like a much more logical name, just saying ha. The Scaups break up their dark coloring with tight barring along the center of their backs. If you just remember the bowling shoe and the solid vs barred back you should have no issues calling it in the field.
Will call it a post there. Hope you enjoyed learning about another resident of the Sunset Park ponds. Take care everyone, thanks for stopping by.
Wildlife Intrigued 
I love “Deceived by Root. Broken by Trunk!” Congratulations Linda and Ruger. Fast pup you have there. I have trouble going that fast on my mountain bike.
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I thought you would like that epitaph – a moment in time forever immortalized in future Haunted Trails. Ruger is definitely a natural at this “run like a bat out of hell” competition. He goes absolutely bat shit crazy when he sees the starting line and knows that mommy is at the other end of the track. Takes everything I have to keep him contained until they give me the cue to release the Kraken. Per your mountain bike comment, guessing it is an age thing – Rugers technically just into his human teen years – guessing you were fearless back then as well.
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You have that right on my youth. I’m amazed I survived beyond my teen years.
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I think if you want to go faster on a mountain bike there are really only two options: 1. higher gravity, or 2. a motor. 🙂
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Still getting fit and will go faster.
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True. But without changing my cassette, gearing limits my speed. Gravity helps a LOT! 🙂
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I’m running an 11-30 cassette. I haven’t used the 11 yet. I’m working my down to that 11. The fastest I’ve gone an a road bike was 70 mph riding down Nine-Mile Hill, with a tailwind, drafting off a tractor trailer rig. that was freaking fast. It was easy to hit 60 mph riding down the Crest Road on the other side of the mountains. It’s steep with lots of switchbacks.
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I’ve always said preschool (didn’t have when I was growing up) and or early grade schools were there to get your body’s immunity built up for all the crap you are going to be subjected to through your life and your teens were to toughen you up so you can actually make it through the future hard times. I’d be scared to death to do half the things I did back then…maybe it is because I can now feel the pains and see the scars that came from that good lord did I have a lot of stitches ha.
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We didn’t have or need no stinking preschool when I was a kid. We played in the dirt, with all the animals and the pathogens that went with them. Never knew anyone who was allergic to peanuts until recently. Either that allergy didn’t exist in our area when I was growing up or all kids who were allergic died before I got to know them.
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I hear ya’. To be honest, it wouldn’t surprise me if all these new allergies were a byproduct of all the crap food that is targeted for kids these days.
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Good shots !! I rarely get any ducks, of any kind, close enough for shots like these.
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Thank you Ted. I was fortunate to come upon this recent set of ducks at a park in Vegas so they were somewhat conditioned to human intrusion – trust me, out in the marshes, muuuuch hard to get them to cooperate. I did enjoy the chance to fairly detailed shots of them giving me a rare chance to really experience all their intricate feathering. Appreciate you dropping in (I promise I’ll get caught up on your posts soon – very hectic month…more like two ugh).
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Way to go Linda and Ruger. Y’all are amazing! The ducks are amazing and so are the tombstones and spiders. I’m in awe.
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Ruger and Linda say thanks! I’m just the sherpa when it comes to the dog front, so they definitely get 100% of the credit…although I do have the responsibility to hold Ruger at the starting line …which, ironically, he gets scored on how fast he gets away from me ha. Glad you like the haunting posts. So fun to step back and walk through the steps in those tutorials – you forget how long those props take to make until you try to describe them ha. Take care and we always enjoy your visits!
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Congrats to Linda and Ruger! If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it must be a bowling shoe Scaup. Those yellow eyes are nearly as eerie as the red eyes from last week. No matter how calm they look above the water . . . they look like Brian setting up the Trail of Tears below the water. Nice sharp photos.
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They say thank you! Ruger is still strutting around with his big ribbon gloating about how neither of the other two have any ribbons in that event – if you haven’t noticed, he is pretty much a cocky ass. Yes, the yellow and the red eyes definitely fit with the current spooky season. You are dead on with the trail comment (clever use of the phrase). Sure appreciate the ultra stamina in the “hell in woods” that becomes the week leading up to it ha.
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All part of then ultra training I presume. Ruger best be careful strutting lest a root ruin his day.
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Ruger laughs at roots…and me of course for falling victim to one ha.
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Here in central Florida, we see a lot of Lesser Scaup during migration, about twice as many Ring-necked Ducks and the occasional Greater Scaup. Some of the lakes in January resemble huge bowling shoe conventions.
Nice work Ruger and Linda!
Enjoy the Halloween Season!
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Linda and Ruger say thank you. We tend to get the Lessers in abundance up here, but not too many of the bowling shoes (definitely not a convention ha) and very few Greaters – I contend those are really here we just can’t tell them apart! It ’tis my season, already working on my costume for Saturday’s party and then need to carve up the pumpkins so we can do our traditional pour in kerosene and light ’em on fire to celebrate the day of the dead. Be safe out there.
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Bowling Shoe Duck. Got it, for life! I studied the side-by-side species comparisons of the Greater and Lesser on All About Birds, and am dogged (nod to Ruger) if I can see enough difference to warrant identifying a distinct species. Great photos and interesting narrative, as usual!
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Trust me, you’ll never forget it ha! I’m with your on the species distinction, I think they are cutting hairs..or should it be feathers at this point with a slight difference on the length of a few at the top of the head. Glad you enjoyed the post and we always enjoy your visits.
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Your work for the haunted trail is amazing. You could turn that into a full-time job without a doubt.
And congratulations to Linda and Ruger on the latest win. You will soon run out of room to hang all the awards.
I live in a part of the country where both Lesser and Greater Scaup can occur, but I continue to find it challenging to tell them apart. They hardly ever follow the descriptions in the field guide.
I don’t know if the name Ring-billed Duck is already taken ( a quick internet search did not reveal any results), but it would make perfect sense.
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Thank you Tanja – Halloween is kinda of our thang’ here at Intrigued and spend all year prepping for those two nights when we get to show off our work. Linda and Ruger say thank you!..well, Linda says thank you, Ruger woofed out some garble I am not sure how to translate, but I’m sure it was the puppy equivalent to thanks as well! I’m with you on the Scaup differentiation front – not sure why they merited having two distinct species for them, maybe the Greater’s have two left flippers we just can’t see because they are in the water all the time. Amen on teh Ring-Billed Duck moniker, I’ve been preaching that for years and can’t get the ABA to budge as they are staunch on their “Let’s name it on a body feature you can’t even see unless you are literally holding the duck in your hands” name. I say we just start calling them that or…bowling shoes and see if we can get a movement going. As always, appreciate your visit Tanja, take care.
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Bowling-shoed Duck does have a nice ring to it. Your brother might be happy to see his name immortalized in the name Aythya bowlingshoeis ronii. 🙂
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Too funny, I think he would like that a lot!
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