Hooded Mergansers are diving ducks, looking mostly for crawfish, fish, and other food. Mergansers can actually change the refractive properties of their eyes to better spot prey underwater. They also use their transparent third eyelid or nictitating membrane like a pair of goggles to protect their eyes while underwater. Their feet are set too far back to make walking comfortable, but it's very useful for diving.
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| What happened to your mate? This one's taken sistah. |
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| Dangit, where'd my mate go? |
Albert Schweitzer
Linking up with I'd Rather B Birdin'. Thanks, Anni so much!!
How wonderful ducks, they have beautiful hats. Really amazing pictures on the water.
ReplyDeleteGreetings
Never seen these before! Pretty!
ReplyDeleteWonderful!!!
ReplyDeleteY'know, I thought of you most of the afternoon yesterday, wondering if you got to photograph the Brown Booby!?!!!!
These hooded mergansers are awesome Gail. I love the one with the two 'looking at each other'.
Have a terrific Monday...
Anni @ I'd Rather B Birdin' and Hootin' Anni's.
Oh Gail I LOVE coming here. Hug B
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh I had never seen a Hooded Merganser before. I love them!!
ReplyDeleteThese are interesting looking water fowl, not common in our area.
ReplyDeletei love those mohawks. neat do. ( :
ReplyDeleteOh, I do love hooded mergansers! Very nice photos!
ReplyDeleteI've never seen one of these before. They are adorable with that bouffant that adorns the top of their head. As always...love the captions.
ReplyDeleteBrrr it's cold outside...stay warm!
Oh, these are beautiful! I've seen mergansers here before, but never any like these. It's hard to photograph diving ducks. One minute they're there; the next minute they're gone...leaving the photographer feeling like that lone female merganser wondering where her mate went.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen such a pretty duck.
ReplyDeleteLove that duck's hairdo! Great shots.
ReplyDeleteIt fascinates me how different the male and female mergansers are! We have mergansers here....not sure of the type, but they are ones that eat the baby steelhead and salmon our state is working so hard to save! ;-)
ReplyDeleteLove the punk coiffure. (Oops, these words don't belong in the same sentence!
ReplyDeleteAin't nature grand!
Oh you silly girl! I guarantee you that wearing those red shoes or boots will attract more animals to your photos! I do! lol You are so dang fun. Thanks for your regular comments and blog love each day!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteooops, forgot to say that I LOVE how you get such awesome photos of swimming ducks, etc. The water looks fabulous and almost fake. So cool.
ReplyDeleteWOW! Remarkable captures Gail.
ReplyDeleteTerrific shots. I love the brown reflection pattern with the ducks' colors!
ReplyDeleteThese are beautiful ducks! I don't think I've ever seen any like them. You captured some great shots. I love the quote, too. :-)
ReplyDeleteze zijn ook ontzettend mooi.
ReplyDeleteLove the pics, but they look like they went to the wrong hair-dresser.giggle and I do love that quote!!
ReplyDeleteWhat beauties!
ReplyDeleteWe saw our first hooded mergansers last spring near Lake Okechobee; I couldn't believe what I was seeing at first! Beautiful pictures... perfect portraits of the birds and then the soft swirly reflections. Love this post.
ReplyDeleteI am enjoying your birding lessons. I've never seen thE Merganser duck but I think he's pretty cool!
ReplyDeleteThe Hooded Mergansers are one of my favorites. Awesome photos!
ReplyDeleteyou got some GREAT shots of these oddball beauties! love these!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous shots! We've got a lot of these guys at a nearby lake, but they tend to stay out in the center.
ReplyDeletegreat pics!
ReplyDeleteWishing you a happy 2014. Thanks for stopping by my blog this week.
Splendid pictures - we don't have any mergansers in Australia - used to be able to watch them in the UK.
ReplyDeleteHope you can link up for Wild Bird Wednesday!
Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne
PS: I to rather like the calm the descends after Christmas and the New Year are over!
Love them! Great quote!
ReplyDeleteOh wow, they are simply beautiful! And those eyes are stunning :) Thanks for sharing, sweet Gail!
ReplyDeleteOhhhh ......... you're making me really jealous with these beautiful pictures of the diving ducks. So nice to see so wonderful and photographed. My sincere compliments!
ReplyDeleteAmazing profiles of these ducks. Each one highlights the incredible character in those "faces".
ReplyDeleteYour diving duck photos look awesome. Love there eyes..
ReplyDeleteHugs~
Such unique birds. I don't think I have ever seen them in person...
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