hooded merganser

Hooded Merganser

A male Hooded Merganser stretches his wings.

I rate these up there with the Wood Ducks. In other words, they are like my favorites of the Duck World here in the North America Continent.

Male Hooded Merganser

Upon my exit from Shem Creek in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina I spotted these beautiful ducks. Even the unlucky get lucky sometimes.

Male hooded mergansers showing off their 'hoods'

Smallish duck with flamboyant crest. Raised in this picture to attract nearby female. Males (pictured here) have a black back, white breast, and chestnut flanks. Females are overall tawny gray brown.

These elegant fish-eating ducks prefer shady ponds but also occur in bays and estuaries in winter. I felt lucky to capture these males displaying in full sunlight with crests raised reflected in the water looking like a pinwheel. These North American endemics are the only members of the genus...

At Huntington Beach State Park, SC

Hooded Merganser

A pair of hooded mergansers that I spotted in the fall. I love their crests. Such beauties!

Another look at this attractive couple. I was lucky to catch these, a neighbor who lives near this pond told me they were only there for a few hours. I happened to walk by at the right time.

Saw the female a few days ago, paddling around in the little pond about half a kilometer from my home. Just assumed it was a Common Merganser that I have seen quite often in the past. Then I saw the male and got a few shots of them together. But I still didn't put two and two together till this...

This is one of my favorites so far. From what I can see, the conditions were great for once. Plus, the bird "somewhat" cooperated. My wife, kids, and I went to the marsh, had a lunch, and then went our separate ways. Our college student, foster son and middle of 5, walked around...

Starting to see some movement of migrating ducks thru the area, like this Hooded Merganser, so spring must be on it's way right.... lol - getting the biggest snow of this season today. The ducks may be thinking they made a mistake to move up to this area this soon.... Though these are relative...

This bird is hard to photograph without blowing out the white head patch. This one is semi-good but I like it because he's eating his favorite food - crayfish. (I spent a couple unsuccessful hours attempting to ID the species of crayfish.)

And it turned out pretty decent ;)