ponds. Lesser Scaup also occur in large numbers along the coast where they are 

 usually present from early October to early June (Imhof 1976b). On the Gulf 

 coast, a maximum of 17,500 was counted at Dauphin Island on 20 April 1968 (Imhof 

 1976b); 2,200 scaup of both species were reported present during the winter of 

 1975 (Goldsberry et al. 1980). Most of these were presumably Lesser Scaup. 

 Recent Christmas Counts (Map 22) from the vicinity of Dauphin Island averaged 

 over a thousand birds, suggesting that the actual number wintering in the state 

 is greater than that indicated by aerial waterfowl survey by the Fish and Wild- 

 life Service. 



Mississippi Burleigh (1944) considered the Lesser Scaup the most abundant 

 wintering duck on the Mississippi coast, with numerous flocks also found on the 

 larger freshwater ponds and in shallow saltwater areas. Birds arrived in early 

 November and did not depart until late May. More recent reports include 10,000 

 Lesser Scaup at Bellfountaine Point (Jackson 1976), and 10,200 scaup (most prob- 

 ably Lesser Scaup) on the 1975 winter survey. This last census was incomplete 

 (Goldsberry et al. 1980), however, and the total wintering population is no 

 doubt larger. These scaup occur in Mississippi from as early as mid-October 

 (Jackson and Weber 1976) , and occasional birds have been reported through the 

 summer (Jackson and Cooley 1978a). 



Louisiana In some years, the Lesser Scaup is the most abundant duck win- 

 tering in Louisiana (Smith 1961 jji Harmon 1962). They arrive in large numbers 

 by late October and remain until early April. In winter these scaup often form 

 rafts of thousands along the edge of the Gulf. Through late November or early 

 December most Lesser Scaup remain on lakes and bays (Smith 1960 i_n Harmon 1962). 

 They then move offshore into the Gulf of Mexico where they are evidently fairly 

 common around oil production platforms (Harmon 1962). A few birds have been 

 noted in summer (Lowery 1974). 



Coastal Louisiana is one of the major wintering grounds for the Lesser 

 Scaup; more than 1,500,000 were present there during the winter of 1960-1961 

 (Smith 1960 iji Harmon 1962). Calculations based on data presented by Bellrose 

 (1976) indicate more than three-quarters of a million are regularly present in 

 winter; several hundred thousand more are present during the peak of fall mi- 

 gration. Bellrose (1976) reported that concentrations occur on Lakes Pontchar- 

 train and Borgne , in coastal marsh, and offshore. 



Texas During the winter, Lesser Scaup are locally abundant to common on 

 the coast, and irregularly common throughout the state (Oberholser 1974). They 

 are most numerous in the northern half of the state in spring and fall, and 

 scarce to rare during the summer, particularly on the coast, although occasion- 

 al flocks of 50-100 may linger. 



Bellrose (1976) reported that Galveston Bay holds one of the largest con- 

 centrations (30,000 birds) in the Pacific Flyway. Other notable concentrations 

 include 35,000 present in San Antonio Bay, Aransas NWR, 21 November 1977 (Web- 

 ster 1978a), and 50,000 at Cove, 5 February 1977 (Webster 1977). Data provided 

 by Bellrose (1976) suggest that some 98.6% of the scaup wintering in Texas are 

 Lesser Scaup. If this figure is still applicable, then the 1975 January survey 

 (Goldsberry et al. 1980) found about 187,000 Lesser Scaup wintering there. 



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