These four female Hooded Mergansers spread out a little bit and alternated diving.
They were quite successful at capturing their prey, some kind of crayfish or fresh water shrimp.
Looking through the camera lens you don’t always realize everything that is happening in a scene
— and up popped another duck!
And just as quickly one dove.
then another.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
November 30, 2023
A small flock of Hooded Mergansers paddled across the pond, passing by a number of Great Egrets that were just standing around.
The ducks came relative close to me, much to my surprise.
The reeds at the edge of the pond, which so often spoil a shot, this time provided something of a viewing blind.
Hooded Mergansers feed by diving for prey and were finding a good run of crayfish in this spot.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
November 30, 2023
And a photobombing turtle!
One of them was fanning her tail feathers in quite a display.
I’m assuming they are female but it is possible that one or all of them are juvenile males, not females.
A lone male Hooded Merganser was on the other side of the pond but he opted not to check this trio out up close.
Cypress Wetlands, Port Royal, SC
February 27, 2023
A big snack!
Some kind of a tadpole from the shape and way bigger than the duck’s mouth.
So big she took it for a ride before trying to swallow it, and slapped it in the water a couple of times.
Two other Mergansers that were following along so she changed course. Shortly after this image she swallowed it.
Cypress Wetlands, Port Royal, SC
February 27, 2023
Despite the green patch seen in the middle duck here, these are Blue-winged Teals.
A slight shift of the wing and you can see just the powder blue patch, and the more distinctive white patch on the male’s head.
This trio had all been either feeding or bathing.
A good shake put the feathers to rights.
Orlando Wetlands, Christmas, FL
January 18, 2023
Orlando Wetlands Park is 1650 acres of man-made wetland designed to provide advanced treatment for reclaimed water from the City of Orlando and other local cities.
Ted and I just came back from six days in Florida. We had wonderful weather and photographed a wide variety of birds. There were hundreds and hundreds of Coots, and they show up in a lot of my images.
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
January 19, 2023
I haven’t seen many ducks yet this winter. This lone Blue-winged Teal was paddling around in the duck weed in a small pond near the swamp.
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
January 9, 2023
Blue-winged Teal were among the ducks sheltering in the old rice field ponds on Cat Island.
A number of patrolling Bald Eagles sent groups of ducks into the air over the hour or so we were in the area.
Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center, SC
November 22, 2022
Another odd gathering of birds at the rice field pond that has been drained in preparation for repairs and a controlled burn.
Northern Shoveler and four YellowlegsMagnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
November 3, 2022
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
April 11, 2022
