Red-breasted Merganser pair

A bit of news came in this morning about a male Red-breasted Merganser on the River Welland (Merganser Central) yesterday so with lunchtime beckoning I picked up Weedon's World of Nature and headed off. Would it still be there?

Not far along from Crowland Bridge we both noticed a duck with outrageous wispy tufts on the head: a Red-breasted Merganser certainly but this was a female! The male wasn't far away and they both showed extremely well.

This was only my second experience of this species locally, the first being a male on the Nene many years ago. The River Welland has attracted one or two every year for the past few years but they often do not stay long.

Photography was difficult as we did not want to spook the birds and it was blowing a gale from the north but I managed a few shaky shots from the car.

Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator - Male





Female


Digiscoped with the Nikon CP995, Leica APO77 and 20x eyepiece.