{"id":118413,"date":"2023-11-21T04:45:56","date_gmt":"2023-11-21T11:45:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=118413"},"modified":"2023-11-21T04:45:56","modified_gmt":"2023-11-21T11:45:56","slug":"drake-hooded-merganser-memory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/11\/21\/drake-hooded-merganser-memory\/","title":{"rendered":"Drake Hooded Merganser Memory"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\n

Once upon a chilly December evening, I had a blast photographing a stunning drake Hooded Merganser in gorgeous light at an urban pond close to home. I had eight minutes and 24 seconds with this handsome diving duck according to the EXIF information contained in my photos of this bird.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\"DrakeDrake Hooded Merganser in evening light \u2013 Nikon D500, f6.3, 1\/640, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I spent yesterday backing up images that I took in 2019 because one of the hard drives the files from that year were on was failing. I bought a new drive yesterday morning and spent the day moving my archived images. These Hooded Merganser files were among those photos. Seeing them again brought back some nice memories.<\/p>\n

Hooded Mergansers are small diving mergansers I only see here in northern Utah during their nonbreeding season.<\/p>\n

\"DrakeDrake Hooded Merganser up close \u2013 Nikon D500, f6.3, 1\/800, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Typically, I don’t have Hooded Mergansers in my viewfinder as often as I do the two other species of mergansers found in Northern Utah. I see Common and Red-breasted Mergansers more frequently.<\/p>\n

I am always thrilled to have these mergansers in my viewfinder. Having a drake Hooded Merganser in view in his finest breeding plumage was and is a joy for me.<\/p>\n

This drake’s chestnut colored flanks, yellow eyes, and black and white crest seemed to glow in the warm evening light.<\/p>\n

\"DrakeDrake Hooded Merganser splashing after landing \u2013 Nikon D500, f6.3, 1\/640, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Even though I only had a little over eight minutes with this Hooded Merganser<\/span><\/a>, I made the best of the time I had with him and took several hundred photos of him moving around my local pond.<\/p>\n

I keep hoping to find more of these mergansers close to home. Fingers crossed!<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a><\/span> to see more of my Hooded Merganser photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Once upon a chilly December evening, I had a blast photographing a stunning drake Hooded Merganser in gorgeous light at an urban pond close to home.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":118405,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,6932,709,26],"tags":[970,4142,4753,4483,126,4433,4620,6934,4123,6933,4062,4705,4704,1984,4046,2688,6707,3996,2063],"class_list":["post-118413","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-hooded-mergansers","category-salt-lake-county-utah","category-utah","tag-autumn","tag-close-up","tag-diving-ducks","tag-drake","tag-ducks-2","tag-evening-light","tag-fall","tag-hooded-merganser","tag-landing","tag-lophodytes-cucullatus","tag-male","tag-merganser","tag-mergansers","tag-pond","tag-portrait","tag-splashing","tag-up-close","tag-water","tag-waterfowl"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/hooded-merganser-drake-mia-mcpherson-5141.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-uNT","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":119774,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/01\/17\/urban-hooded-merganser-drake\/","url_meta":{"origin":118413,"position":0},"title":"Urban Hooded Merganser Drake","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 17, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Thanks to Shane Smith, neighbor, friend, and budding bird photographer, I photographed this drake Hooded Merganser two days ago at one of our local ponds.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Urban drake Hooded Merganser, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/hooded-merganser-drake-urban-mia-mcpherson-2781.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/hooded-merganser-drake-urban-mia-mcpherson-2781.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/hooded-merganser-drake-urban-mia-mcpherson-2781.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/hooded-merganser-drake-urban-mia-mcpherson-2781.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":100150,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/02\/22\/drake-hooded-merganser-on-the-bear-river\/","url_meta":{"origin":118413,"position":1},"title":"Drake Hooded Merganser On The Bear River","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 22, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Earlier this month I stopped to take photos of a drake Hooded Merganser floating on the Bear River before the sun lit up that part of the refuge.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Low light drake Hooded Merganser on the Bear River, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/hooded-merganser-drake-on-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-9437.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/hooded-merganser-drake-on-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-9437.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/hooded-merganser-drake-on-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-9437.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/hooded-merganser-drake-on-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-9437.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":62424,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/01\/05\/hooded-merganser-drake-a-one-day-opportunity\/","url_meta":{"origin":118413,"position":2},"title":"Hooded Merganser Drake – A One Day Opportunity","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 5, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"In December I had eight minutes and twenty-four seconds to photograph this Hooded Merganser drake and every time I have gone to the local pond after that I have looked for him to be there again.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Hooded Merganser drake swimming by, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/hooded-merganser-drake-swimming-by-mia-mcpherson-5015.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/hooded-merganser-drake-swimming-by-mia-mcpherson-5015.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/hooded-merganser-drake-swimming-by-mia-mcpherson-5015.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/hooded-merganser-drake-swimming-by-mia-mcpherson-5015.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":62002,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/12\/10\/drake-hooded-merganser-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":118413,"position":3},"title":"Drake Hooded Merganser Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 10, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday started off dreary but later in the afternoon I was able to get out in the field and I had a blast taking photos of a spiffy drake Hooded Merganser for a little while.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Drake Hooded Merganser splash landing, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/hooded-merganser-drake-pond-mia-mcpherson-5138.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/hooded-merganser-drake-pond-mia-mcpherson-5138.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/hooded-merganser-drake-pond-mia-mcpherson-5138.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/hooded-merganser-drake-pond-mia-mcpherson-5138.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":109434,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/01\/08\/first-winter-hooded-merganser-at-an-urban-pond\/","url_meta":{"origin":118413,"position":4},"title":"First Winter Hooded Merganser At An Urban Pond","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 8, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"A few days ago I had the opportunity to photograph this first winter Hooded Merganser at an urban pond that isn't far from where I live after a heavy snow.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"First winter Hooded Merganser after a dive, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/hooded-merganser-first-winter-mia-mcpherson-7530.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/hooded-merganser-first-winter-mia-mcpherson-7530.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/hooded-merganser-first-winter-mia-mcpherson-7530.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/hooded-merganser-first-winter-mia-mcpherson-7530.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":55680,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/01\/14\/hen-and-drake-hooded-mergansers-with-and-without-prey\/","url_meta":{"origin":118413,"position":5},"title":"Hen and Drake Hooded Mergansers With and Without Prey","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 14, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"The birds I photographed the most yesterday were a pair of Hooded Mergansers that were actively foraging for prey most of the time I had them in my viewfinder.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Hooded Merganser with a Weather Loach, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/hooded-merganser-male-weather-loach-mia-mcpherson-1100.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/hooded-merganser-male-weather-loach-mia-mcpherson-1100.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/hooded-merganser-male-weather-loach-mia-mcpherson-1100.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/hooded-merganser-male-weather-loach-mia-mcpherson-1100.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118413","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=118413"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118413\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/118405"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=118413"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=118413"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=118413"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}