Hooded Mergansers

Go Ahead… Make My Day!

February 23, 2020 — 16 Comments

F/6.3, 1/500, ISO 250.

Hooded Merganser ( Female )

What insect runs away from everything?

A flea!

Interesting Fact: Once a female begins incubating eggs her mate abandons her, and it’s not known if they reunite the following season. Incubating females may use a broken-wing display to protect eggs or nestlings from raccoons, mink, black rat snakes, black bears, pine martens, European Starlings, Northern Flickers, Red-headed Woodpeckers, and Red-bellied Woodpeckers. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Hooded_Merganser/lifehistory )

 

Keep On Duckin!

January 19, 2020 — 4 Comments

F/6.3, 1/640, ISO 200.

Hooded Mergansers

How do you get a frog off the back window of your car?

Use the rear defrogger.

Interesting Fact: Hooded Mergansers are usually in pairs or small groups of up to 40 birds. They court in groups of one or more females and several males. The males raise their crests, expanding the white patch, often while shaking their heads. Their most elaborate display is head-throwing, in which they jerk their heads backwards to touch their backs, with crests raised, while giving a froglike croak. Females court by bobbing their heads and giving a hoarse gack.  ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Hooded_Merganser/lifehistory )

Kinda Classy Kinda Hood

January 7, 2020 — 10 Comments

F/6.3, 1/500, ISO 220.

Hooded Merganser ( Female )

When is a door sweet and tasty?

When it’s jammed!

Interesting Fact: Unlike dabbling ducks, Hooded Mergansers swim low in the water. Their legs are far back on their bodies, which helps in diving but makes them awkward on land. They take flight by running across the water, flying with fast wingbeats and never gliding until they are about to land (by skidding to a stop on the water). ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Hooded_Merganser/lifehistory )

 

 

 

And They’re Off!

January 8, 2016 — 16 Comments

Hooded Mergansers

F/ 6.3, 1/400, ISO 1600.

Hooded Mergansers

Duck Week Continues!

A circus owner walked into a bar to see everyone crowded about a table watching a little show. On the table was an upside down pot and a duck tap dancing on it. The circus owner was so impressed that he offered to buy the duck from its owner. After some wheeling and dealing, they settled for $10,000 for the duck and the pot. Three days later the circus owner runs back to the bar in anger, “Your duck is a ripoff! I put him on the pot before a whole audience, and he didn’t dance a single step!” “So?” asked the ducks former owner, “did you remember to light the candle under the pot?”

Interesting Fact: Along with Wood Ducks and other cavity-nesting ducks, Hooded Mergansers often lay their eggs in other females’ nests. This is called “brood parasitism” and is similar to the practice of Brown-headed Cowbirds, except that the ducks only lay eggs in nests of their own species. Female Hooded Mergansers can lay up to about 13 eggs in a clutch, but nests have been found with up to 44 eggs in them. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Hooded_Merganser/lifehistory )