Just when I think I have seen and know by sight, and often sound, a specific bird...I then witness something new of the same species!!! A few weeks past, I spotted a family of Hooded Mergansers. Of course, they're easy to identify; even at a distance. The male and its handsome black and white crest and golden yellow eyes. The female with rusty plumage and crest with their deep brown-red eyes. Watching how they dive and use their saw-like bills to come up from the depths with their catch. Then, all of a sudden, as I watched this family of sawbills =mergansers=, I spied something unusual. A couple of the males [distinctly males] with no black! Where the black should've been, the colors were a rich chocolate brown with a taupe crest instead of bright, clean, white!! So, once home I again found myself in search of the hooded mergansers and their colors. Well, the 'new' revelation I witnessed was in fact a male...but instead of 'adult', they were 1st winter mergansers!! The brown eventually morphs into black plumage. Without a doubt, being that the mergansers are a very common water bird in South Texas during the winter, I would have to say they're my favorite. At least ones that are COMMON. I do like the Wood Duck most of all, but they're kinda rare in my neck of the woods...
1st winter...
By the way, they have a third pair of transparent eyelids, called a 'nictitating membrane', which act as protection for their eyes, very similar to what we would use; goggles.
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I love mergansers and am in awe of your knowledge of the various stages --
ReplyDeleteI hope you had a good Holiday and I am giving you a belated present by linking my Wood Ducks! (I was going to link last week, but you weren't here ... then I was going to skip linking because my post is a week old, but then when I came to visit and you mentioned wood ducks ... well, I just had to link up!!!
Thanks as always!!!
Nice observation and an excellent set of photos. They especially look great when seen enlarged. Very useful observation about the color difference in the first year males. If you hadn't mentioned it I probably would not have noticed it.
ReplyDeleteHello, gorgeous captures of the Mergansers. They are one of my favorite ducks. Thanks for hosting. Enjoy your weekend.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful birds!
ReplyDeleteInteresting information
Have a wonderful week-end!
I always learn so much from your observations! We saw some Hooded Mergansers in NC when we were there and now I know what we were seeing...and why! How interesting! Enjoy your weekend. I'm flying by with my Sandhills today! Hugs!
ReplyDeleteI would be spellbound if I saw these in person, Anni...just spellbound...they are so beautiful!!...:)JP
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful. That is the good thing with birds. There are always new things to learn. It is never boring. And this merganser is really gorgeous. New to me was the "sawbill". Great shots as always :)
ReplyDeleteGosh, what a huge difference. These birds are so impressive, I wish I could see a real one. Texas is the very best state for birds.
ReplyDeleteGreat looking ducks!
ReplyDeleteWonderful series of photos of this beautiful species of birds.
ReplyDeleteThe last photo is really great.
Best regards, Irma
Welcome back Anni. I hope you enjoyed the holiday and the break from blogging. You came back with a lovely set of shots of the "hoodies", any of which I would be proud to own. It's a species we don't see here in the Uk but I wish we did. Nice work on the ageing criteria too! Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteAwesome find and series of shots. They are beautiful! Hope you had a wonderful holiday season. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fascinating discovery! Do you let the Audubon society know when you see something like this? Loved the photos.
ReplyDeleteI always learn things when I come to your blog! Great shots of such interesting birds. Hope you had a Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteThey are sure pretty! Handsome might be a more fitting word.
ReplyDeleteAlways interesting to read your blog and to see your pictures of your birds.
ReplyDeleteAnni, it's been a long time since I've stopped by. I was locked out of my Writing Nook. I couldn't remember the password. I finally got back in. Glad to see you are still blogging.
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