I love the “hairstyles” of the female Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus). Sometimes the “hair” is circular, like an Afro of the 1960’s, sometimes it is more flattened, and occasionally it has a pointed peak.
Earlier in December I tried to photograph an elusive female Hooded Merganser. She never came close to shore and seemed to always be twisting and turning. Eventually I was able to capture some shots from a distance. As you look at the images, you will undoubtedly notice how the texture and color of the water and the lighting changed as I moved to different parts of the pond. For me, those variations add interest to shots that might look more humdrum with a more uniform background.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
