Sunday, December 11, 2011

Redheads

Juvenile Common Mergansers are a flamboyant lot. According to Pete Dunne they look like "overly made-up dowagers"  * but to me these here look more like bright-eyed punksters. 





The other day I saw three Common Mergansers in an inlet off the CT River. Of course they saw me too and paddled off. So all I got is this parting glance. I had to dive into my archive to come up with the above summer beauties. 



Merry Birding and Happy Holidays!

* Pete Dunne's Essential Field Guide Companion


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28 comments:

  1. just fabulous; loving your redheads!

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  2. The Mergansers are a beautiful lot, well done Hilke.

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  3. They are beauties!! Boom & gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  4. The are beautiful, I love the Mergansers. Great sighting and photos. Happy Birding and I hope you have a Happy Holiday too.

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  5. haha! Your description of "bright-eyed punksters" is spot on! Love this bird...

    p.s. Love the Snow Buntings in your header too! They are such beautiful birds...

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  6. Lovely captures of these beautiful redheads.

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  7. Nice to know your dives are so productive, I had to go fishing up my sleeve this week.
    Those young bloods really look too cute with their dyed hair. I hope they used a non-harmfull henna stain.

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  8. Amazing colors and movement! Fun bird to find.

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  9. I'm down with you on the punkster thing Hilke. David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. His song, Panic in Detroit, is a particular favorite!
    Love your mergansers and thanks again for the Liebster Award!

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  10. I agree with you..I mean look at the cool hair... I was going to put up a barn owl house, but when I contacted Hawk Creek and was explaining our woods I said I have great horned owls here and they said that the great horned would predate any barns...so...I haven't but I would love to....Michelle

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  11. I like the punkster description Hilke. Very apt.

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  12. I rarely come across these guys but always enjoy it when I do. It amazes me how they can navigate a rushing river.

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  13. Beautiful ducks! Their heads are so colorful.

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  14. Hi there - the mergansers are great - they used to breed around a nature reserve I worked on, many, many years ago.

    We don’t have any of the 'saw tooth' ducks in this part of the world.

    Cheers - Stewart M - Australia

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  15. Agreed - your description is perfect! They are beautiful ducks.

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  16. Great photos - those red heads are so colorful and I like the way you have caught the glint of light in the eyes.

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  17. lol, never seen them so wild before. Talk about redheads. :)

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  18. Your punkster description brought about a chuckle. So true! Mergansers are always fun to watch. Love the close-up images ... I know they are not easy to approach. Very cool birds and post!

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  19. Love these guys ... they do look a bit wild!

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  20. Talk about red - they are beautiful ! :D
    That must have been quite a sight :)

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  21. Those photos of the mergansers are really dramatic! I'd hate to be a fish with that gang coming after me!

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  22. But isn't that one cute glancing coyly over his shoulder? I agree they look much more like punksters in the summer photo. (That's a very funny comment above -- I can imagine them as a gang too!) (It's hard not to practice anthropomorphism).

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  23. they've got real character, haven't they?

    Loved your photos of the snowy owl too...

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  24. Hee hee..they are punky..:) Great shots Hilke..
    and let me know if the twitterfeed RT is working for you now..I redid your link.

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  25. Thank you so much for your comments! They are deeply appreciated. Yes, Dawn, the twitterfeed is working. Thanks!

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