Scaup...on Pagham Lagoon.

Following a report from Andrew House on SOS of a 'surprise' Scaup on the Lagoon I wanted to see this bird myself  as during the past few years there have been reports of a Scaup on the Lagoon at odd times but they have usually turned out to be Tufted/Scaup hybrids or female Tufted with an unusually amount of white around the bill.(not that I was doubting the ID from an expert! ).
This one was different and here are a few shots taken this morning...

...always in close company of a drake Tufted.

Any comments anyone....time of year etc?

Watched from the bank by the resident fox cub now growing fast!

50 Swifts were feeding over the Lagoon and then headed east...are they heading home already

.....and then looking up I saw the distinct shape of a Peregrine soaring higher and higher in a thermal until almost out of sight even with bins. Then suddenly it closed its wings and dropped at an amazing speed and lost height in a matter seconds.....whooooshh!....unfortunately I was behind a bush and didn't see the strike...but I guess some poor unsuspecting bird was very quickly demolished.

...and finally at 21.11hrs  the setting sun

...another day is done!