Male and Female Common Mergansers

My encounters with Common Mergansers have been fairly rare.  I photographed a few times a female Merganser but I never met the male.  A few weeks ago I had an opportunity to see the male Merganser.

Last February, I photographed this female Common Merganser during sunset on the Bear River. 

Life goes on.

Common Merganser During Sunset

 

Just before sunset, the Bear river becomes extraordinarily beautiful and can shimmer with golden tones.

In the photo above, a Merganser was in the last rays of the setting sun and it turned the feathers of his head into bright orange. Everything for a few minutes was warm and golden and resembled early spring.

Generally, life is good!

American Bald Eagle, Canada Geese and Common Mergansers at Dawn

 

It's been so long since I've been at the Bear River at dawn. The snow has melted, but the early morning is frosty. As I walked across the field to the river, my cheeks tingled from the cold and I thought perhaps, it's time to look for a lens coat and protect my lens from extreme cold.

My first bird I saw during sunrise at the Bear River was an American Bald Eagle. His majesty was perching on the top of a dead tree and looking down from time to time for a movement on the ground.

Canada Geese were flying from their roost, they were heading south.

And then I saw the immature Common Mergansers.  I have never met these birds before and was happy to take a few photos of them.

Common Merganser is taking off.

Generally, life is good!