A duck I saw January 7 at Lake Artemesia fits the description of the mystery duck reported by several.  I first took it to be a near adult male Lesser Scaup, but the back seemed too dark and the white patch arounhd the bill was as prominent as on a female scaup.  The bill looked more like a Ring-necked Duck. There was no vertical white stripe on the side like a Ring-neck.  Hybrid, anyone?


Cliff Comeau
Beltsville, MD