I've assembled an array of photographs that I took yesterday, 4/10 at Prout's Pond in Scarborough. Also included are photos from Marie Jordan, taken on 4/9. Jeannette and I identified the bird on Sunday, 4/8, but it likely had arrived the day before.

Prout's Pond is a deep, former sand pit behind the Pleasant Hill Driving Range and "The Food Guy" restuarant on Pleasant Hill Rd in Scarborough (Delorme Map 3: A-4).

The bird seems to be a Redhead crossed with another member of the genus Aythya, with Ring-necked Duck being the most likely candidate. Comments and "guesses" are welcome and encouraged. Please submit those via the "comment" field below - just DON'T hit the preview button (a bug in the system seems to cause the text to be deleted when you preview it!). Email me if you want to be sent full-sized images.

Notes from our first sighting are also included below the photos.

All of my photos were "digiscoped" using a Canon Powershot A-95 and a Leica APO Televid 77 with a 32x fixed eyepiece. Photos have not been manipulated, except where noted, with the exception of cropping. Unfortunately, overcast skies for the past few days have not offered any help in getting stunning shots. Hopefully, that will change today!

This is the above photo using Photoshop's "Smart Fix."

It's looking a lot like a Ring-necked Duck here!

But here, it's shaped more like a scaup!

Yet here, the shape is more like a Redhead!

This photo is one of the few that has a suggestion of the reddish head crown color.

Showing the "cheeky-ness" and a hint of head color.

With Common Merganser.

Showing the deep orange or reddish-colored eye.

And some more:

And here are some good photos - definitely with better lighting - taken by Marie Jordan on 4/9.

And, here are my notes from 4/8:
Jeannette and I enjoyed a tremendous afternoon in Scarborough Marsh today.
Good thing I forgot my camera (which I am really kicking myself for right
now!)

The most unique sighting was what appears to be a HYRBID REDHEAD in Prout's
Pond (behind The Food Guy, off of Pleasant Hill Rd). We believe this is
either a Redhead x Scaup or Ring-necked Duck.

Whatever it is, it is absolutely gorgeous, and you must see this thing in
the sun! The mahogany crown and forehead grade into a deep, glossy
purple-black on the lower head and hindneck. It was hanging out with the 67
RING-NECKED DUCKS in the pond today.
Other notes:
-Thin ring near the distal end of the bill, seperating the blue bill from
the black tip and nail. Bill seemed thinner than would be expected on a
Redhead (REDH), but it was wider than the Ring-necks (RNDU). No white border
around base as in RNDU.
-Head was more peaked, closer to RNDU than the gentle rounded head of REDH.
Not as "tall" as RNDU however.
- When viewed head-on, cheeks were thin, not "chubby" like REDH. More like
RNDU or Lesser Scaup (LESC).
- Back medium-gray, like a scaup.
- Sides very pale gray, somewhere between the white of a scaup and the gray
of a REDH or RNDU. At some angles, a white border between the blackish
breast and the gray sides was noticeable, similiar to - but not quite as
extensive - as the white spur of the RNDU.
- larger, wider, and bulkier than the RNDU it was with.
- somewhat larger than LESSER SCAUP that were also present in the pond, but
they were not seen in the same field of view at any time.

The reddish color of the head seem to suggest one parent is a Redhead
(nothing, such as size or bill-shape, suggests Canvasback).

However, the other half of the mix seems more questionable. I would love
some feedback. I will also try and get some pictures in the next day or
two. If anyone gets some good shots, please send them along!

Points in favor of Ring-necked Duck as the other parent:
- white "spur" on sides.
- peaked head
- dark grayish back

Points in favor of a Scaup as the other parent:
- thinner white stripe on bill.
- no white border to bill base.

Points in favor of a Lesser Scaup as the other parent:
- head more peaked than rounded.
- "thin" cheeks.