Red-breasted Mergansers are regularly seen in the lagoon at Cemlyn Bay, but I always seem to struggle to locate them. This is not helped by their liking for diving regularly and staying far away. On this occasion luck was on my side, as I found a pair close to the road side. I managed to pull over and grab the camera from the boot of the car and take a few quick shots before leaving them to it and before I caused a traffic jam.
Female Red-breasted Merganser
The male
A Little Egret was busy in the shallow water.
A bird that is never easy to get close to to take pictures of is the Little Ringed Plover, and it is a bird that I never make any effort to get close to either. It is a Schedule 1 bird which gives it greater protection and should be left to go about it's business as it wishes without interference or harassment from people. I see a few a year locally, and it is always great to watch them. On this occasion though, I was looking through a sight screen when one came and landed just 20 feet away. It didn't know I was there and as it walked around the muddy margins feeding I managed to get some shots of it. A great little bird.
The distinctive yellow eye ring is a key feature to separating it from the larger Ringed Plover, especially at distance.
This is a Ringed Plover seen on the same day, but on a beach. No yellow eye ring, and with orange legs as opposed to the paler pink of the Little Ringed, and orange bill.
I've enjoyed your fun on the water today. Lovely photos.
ReplyDeleteHello. Little ringed plover is a beautiful bird. Nice photos.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful series of photos Adam.
ReplyDeleteThe female merganser and little plover are really great.
Greetings Irma
Hello,
ReplyDeleteBeautiful shots of the male and female Red-breasted Mergansers. I love the cute Plovers, they are adorable. Beautiful photos and post. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a happy weekend.
It DOES look like fun floating around in the cool water! Great photos!
ReplyDeleteGreat photos of the birds enjoying their environment.
ReplyDeleteMergansers are one of my very favorites and whenever I see photos of them, I smile. When they are good photos like these, I smile even more!
ReplyDeleteNice shots Adam. I find mergansers to be very shy probably because like most ducks around here. they're considered fair game. LRPs I love you. Cracking little birds.
ReplyDeleteNice series!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Red-breasted Mergansers images Adam.
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely right about Little Ringed Plovers being difficult to approach, but I can recount an incident I once had at Blithfield Reservoir in Staffordshire. The people I was staying with had lent me a little folding chair, and while I sat there having my lunch a curious bird came closer and closer, and I thought at one point it was going to walk over my foot!
ReplyDeleteLove seeing the Plover!
ReplyDeletewading birds with long legs ar my favorites
ReplyDeleteHi Adam,
ReplyDeletethe merganser photos are really beautiful,
Beautiful appearance. You have managed to portray both male and female midelste merganser very nicely. The photo of the little egret is also so beautiful to see. Cool to also be able to see the differences in the small rivers.
Greetings, Helma
Nice images, all! Thank you for sharing them with us this week at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2021/05/i-can-fly.html
ReplyDeletebeautiful shots of the Red-breasted Merganse, this is one I have not yet seen. I think I will have to start travelling a bit in order to see any of the waders. Miss seeing them. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteNice shots of feathered critters in the water and land. They are pretty critters.
ReplyDeleteCool.
ReplyDelete