The time we unexpectedly saw the Eurasian Wigeon at Tewinkle Park in Costa Mesa was also the time we had really close-up views of the Hooded Merganser. Not very often seen in Southern California, it was always a delight to find them on city parks. A couple of years later we also saw four females at the Almansor Park in Alhambra.

Hooded Mergansers are so named because of the elaborate crests praticularly those of the males. When fully erect, the white plumage framed by black feathers really stands out. The female’s crest on the other hand is bright rufous in color and looks like it was permanently windblown. Hooded Mergansers are fairly common in NorthAmerica. They prefer freshwater ponds and rivers. They nest in tree cavities and the precocious ducklings jump from the tree to the ground just one day after they were hatched.

Hooded Merganser – Lophodytes cucullatus – male
Tewinkle Park, Costa Mesa, California
March 12, 2007

Canon 30D, 500mm+1.4X (700mm) on a tripod
ISO-400, 1/500, f7.1

Hooded Merganser – female
Tewinkle Park, Costa Mesa, California
March 12, 2007

Canon 30D, 500mm+1.4X (700mm) on a tripod
ISO-400, 1/500, f8