Juvenile Hooded Merganser

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Juvenile Hooded Merganser

July 23, 2013 by Mike Powell

Although I tend to use either my macro or my shorter telephoto zoom lens most at this time of the year, yesterday I decided to walk around with my longest zoom (135-400mm) and was happy about that decision when I encountered this juvenile Hooded Merganser duck (Lophodytes cucullatus).

When I first saw it, the duck was sitting on a semi-submerged log in the beaver pond of my local marshland pond, basking in the sun. I expected for the duck to be part of a group, but it appeared to be alone.

I guess that I got a little too close, because the juvenile duck then slipped quietly off the log into the brown, muddy water of the pond and swam away a short distance. I like the concentric ripples in this shot of the duck slowly paddling away.

I backed off and continued to observe the young duck, which decided to take advantage of being in the water to do a little grooming. After submerging itself, the duck rose up out of the water to dry off. The duck flapped its wings and I clicked my shutter and got this shot.

There is a kind of playful feel to this shot that I really like. Somehow the duck reminds me of a friendly little dragon in this shot, with its feathers looking almost like scales and its wings and tail in an unusual position. I almost expected it to breathe a tiny burst of fire.

Maybe I should name the little duck “Puff.”

Posted in Art, Birds, Nature, Photography, Portraits, wildlife | Tagged Canon 50D, Hooded Merganser, Hooded Merganser duck, Huntley Meadows Park, juvenile Hooded Merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus, Sigma 135-400mm telephoto zoom lens | 7 Comments

7 Responses

on July 23, 2013 at 6:42 am | Reply New Hampshire Gardener

I like the color of the water in these shots. It seems to make the duck really stand out.
- on July 23, 2013 at 6:57 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks. I wasn’t sure that brown water would make a very attractive background, but I guess it’s not too distracting.
on July 23, 2013 at 7:07 am | Reply Mona

Lovely shots……..
- on July 23, 2013 at 7:09 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Mona. I photographed a lot of birds in the winter, but have been taking photos of bugs and flowers a lot during the summer.
on July 23, 2013 at 7:53 am | Reply Anne Layman

Lovely Image’s Sir, thank’s for sharing here to all your visitor
on July 23, 2013 at 11:30 am | Reply muddepaws

Wonderful photos, and I see what you mean about the friendly dragon.
on July 23, 2013 at 3:37 pm | Reply lylekrahn

I like the peaceful feel of the duck on the log.