The same day we went out to the streams and lakes looking for ducks
that were migrating through our area,
and saw the Hooded Mergansers, we saw
some black and white ducks
which I cannot identify for sure
in my bird books....
This one had a head a lot like a Loon,
but it wasn't a loon.
This female was with him:
But then, when I saw her tufted head, we thought it might be another type of merganser...maybe the Common Merganser?:
The color was right for the female in this shot...she has a gray body and a rusty, tufted head.
And he was black and white.
But still, I wasn't positive.
He is very handsome:
They didn't stay long and quickly swam away, so that is all the photos
I could get of them.
So, bird experts...
what do you think?
Did I capture Common Mergansers????
Click ON HERE to see what the bird book shows about Common Mergansers....
Click ON HERE to see what the bird book shows about Common Mergansers....
Survey SAYS?????.................
Red-breasted mergangers maybe?
ReplyDeleteI'll be watching to find out. I called a merganser a "duck" on one of my posts and learned what it really was, but that's all I know!
ReplyDeletecool pics...they seem a happy couple...smiles.
ReplyDeleteI eat ducks, but I do not have knowledge to identify them.
ReplyDeleteI am a bird and duck ignoramous. All I know I learned from your blog, so if you don't know, I don't. lol
ReplyDeleteWell---from what I can see in your pictures, they look like mergansers.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures...
Hugs,
Betsy
Joannie: I didn't see any red on them, but I am pretty sure they are a type of merganser, too!
ReplyDeleteDJan: I am learning about ducks as I see them and photograph them too!
Brian: I know that most couples I see in nature do seem very happy. :0}
Rainfield: Say it isn't SO!!! ha Although I admit...I eat partridge and photograph them too..but I am not the one doing the hunting. I could never kill them myself.
Eva: You are so funny. I look them up after photographing them and am slowly learning about ducks myself.
Betsy: Thanks so much. I end up looking them up when I photograph them, like I do with some of the birds we see at our feeders, too!
They look like Common Mergansers to me.. but what do I know..I am better at flowers! :)
ReplyDeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteThey are a subspecies of Loon, (trying to remember the species name here for them), we have them on the ponds and lakes up here in Canada. The photo with 2 is an adult with a juvenile. Once they fledge the family migrates south into the states. Beautiful!
Nina :^]
Mostly because of the female I would say it is some type of Merganser. Great shots, they are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThe Hooded Merganser in your post below is one of my favorites. We have a pair at our local park but they like to hid from my camera (so far at least).
Beats me, but I love the photos!
ReplyDeleteFar Side: I thought Mergansers too and loons, but they didn't seem right for loons, but then I got the comment from jadm and now I am more confused than EVER. ha
ReplyDeleteJadm: You know, when I first saw the neck,I immediately thought it was a loon, but then when I saw the juvenile, it looked more like a female merganser! Now, I am really confused. ha Back to my duck books. I will look up loon species this time. ha
Jientje: Haha..thanks...I am getting the same way..who cares what they are..they are beautiful and that is all that counts ha.
They look like common mergansers to me. I have an article up on Nature Center Magazine with links to a good bird guide if you'd like a better opinion.
ReplyDeleteDoing some research on some ducks I saw today and found you! I live on the Niagara River and there are some interesting birds who visit. This morning there was a basically black duck with a white ring around his neck, white under his wings and a shy disposition. He dove underwater completely and I waited to see him resurface...and waited and waited. He didn't come back up again in the time we were there, which was close to 5 minutes. Didn't have a camera, just the dog, and so didn't get a picture. Any ideas? He didn't drown, did he?
ReplyDelete