Red-breasted Mergansers

Although we’ve been experiencing warmer temps, our winter birds continue to arrive into the Chesapeake Bay area. It was a thrill to sight two female Red-breasted Mergansers meandering around the rock base of our Osprey nest platform early one morning.

One even climbed up on a rock to preen for a bit.

When the two females decided it was time to move on, a third female joined them that I had not spotted.

As the three swam around the Osprey nest platform point, they passed off to my left into the early morning sunlight.

No seen very often around our riprap shoreline, these three female Red-breasted Mergansers were much enjoyed, even if only for a few minutes. 🙂

Tags: Birds, birdwatching, Chesapeake Bay, Eastern Shore, Grasonville, Kent Narrows, Maryland, Merganser, nature, Oyster Cove, photographs, photography, photos, red-breasted merganser, waterfowl

17 thoughts on “Red-breasted Mergansers”

Tiny on 12/28/2015 at 11:36 PM said:

Lovely captures of your “winter birds”!

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- bayphotosbydonna on 12/29/2015 at 7:48 AM said:
  
  They are like friends returning for another winter visit! 🙂
  
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niasunset on 12/29/2015 at 2:42 AM said:

Wonderful photographs. Thank you dear Donna, Happy New Year, Love, nia

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- bayphotosbydonna on 12/29/2015 at 8:17 AM said:
  
  Thank you Nia, Happy New Year to you also! 🙂
  
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Beth on 12/29/2015 at 9:51 AM said:

Guess they just stopped by to say “Happy 2016” to you. Warm hopes for you in the new year. Thanks for giving me a look into your world! hugs

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- bayphotosbydonna on 12/30/2015 at 7:09 AM said:
  
  It was nice of them to stop by! 🙂 Best wishes for a Happy New Year to you and your family, Beth. hugs
  
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quietsolopursuits on 12/29/2015 at 9:58 AM said:

Great photos of the mergansers! This warm winter has been delaying the arrival of some of our winter residents, but after the past two winters, I don’t mind it, they’ll show up eventually.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 12/30/2015 at 7:11 AM said:
  
  I’m feel the same, just happy they do visit eventually, our birds must be somewhat confused with all this crazy weather!
  
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Lisa Rest on 12/29/2015 at 10:34 AM said:

Beautiful shots. I have to find some Red-Breasted Mergansers, I miss them. We’ve had such warm weather up until now, the waterfowl have not been hugging the shoreline. I see I’m not alone in this situation! Happy New Year and thanks!

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- bayphotosbydonna on 12/30/2015 at 7:21 AM said:
  
  Our birds just don’t realize how important their arrival is to us! 😉 The weather has to confuse them too I’m guessing. Fingers crossed the RBM’s are in your horizon soon! Happy New Year to you too, Lisa, thanks!
  
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tootlepedal on 12/29/2015 at 5:03 PM said:

I haven’t seen a goosander (our version of the merganser) for some time. I will have to keep an eye out.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 12/30/2015 at 7:22 AM said:
  
  Hope you see one soon and have the cam with you, love to see your goosander on your blog.
  
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  - tootlepedal on 12/30/2015 at 3:55 PM said:
    
    I will do my best. They are very camera shy and float gently away as soon as they see you get a camera out.
Anonymous on 12/31/2015 at 9:34 PM said:

Love the mergansers, beautiful pics, Donna!

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- bayphotosbydonna on 01/01/2016 at 7:48 AM said:
  
  Thank you very much!
  
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donna213 on 01/01/2016 at 1:48 PM said:

Very nice captures, Donna. We get many of them on our Great Lakes and the Niagara River, I am just glad this year so far they are not frozen in the ice. Duck populations have been reduced by the two consecutive harsh enters here. I wish to get to your area sometime in the next few years. So much wildlife in better seasons for us humans.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 01/01/2016 at 8:49 PM said:
  
  Thanks Donna! I wish I could have gotten better photos but knew if I ran down and out, they’d have already moved on. I hope you get to come someday to the Chesapeake Bay area, you won’t be disappointed!
  
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