Hooded Mergansers, Green Island Wetlands, Iowa
I shoot a lot more than what I ever can publish here in my blog. But today I have a photo from a couple weeks ago that I really still like to share with you. Hooded Mergansers form pairs between November and January and after they migrate here from the south there is only a small time window to take a picture of male and female together. They are monogamous but ones the female starts to incubate, the male abandons her. I try it every year, often with mixed success or no results, to make a photo with both birds together. This time a pair of Hooded Mergansers gave me enough time and finally swam to an area at the pond where the background was not too much illuminated but still enough light to make the mergansers stand out. I never see the males during the summer and just wonder if they immediately move south after their part in the breeding process is done?
Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, @ 600 mm, 1/3200 s, f/8, ISO 800