The Hooded Merganser…

I told myself that the sky was too overcast for any possible color of the sunset to show, so I gave myself permission to stay home. Now that I was finally home that is. I could sit with my feet up and look through my pictures to see if anything inspired me. A cup of coffee might give me a jolt, I thought, so I went into the kitchen… and out the window I saw a white-headed duck fly across the lake, skimming the surface and leaving a very impressive wake in his path. White headed? I didn’t think I’d seen whatever that was before so how could I resist? I grabbed the camera and the tripod and headed out.

It was a Hooded Merganser! I had seen them out there before, but not lately. He was zooming back and forth across the lake, at one point being chased by another duck, or so it seemed. And each time he flew he skimmed the surface, making as much of a spectacle of himself as he possibly could. What a show off.Merlin says that the Hooded Merganser is small, feeds by diving and using it’s thin, serrated bill to catch fish.  They are usually found on calm bodies of water.  Merlin didn’t mention that he’s a show off.  This is a male in his breeding plumage, which may explain a few things.

I love it when a photo op lands right in my backyard, literally…