{"id":35466,"date":"2016-02-10T04:59:44","date_gmt":"2016-02-10T11:59:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=35466"},"modified":"2025-05-26T08:08:41","modified_gmt":"2025-05-26T13:08:41","slug":"a-bathing-common-merganser-at-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/02\/10\/a-bathing-common-merganser-at-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/","title":{"rendered":"Bathing Common Merganser at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"BathingBathing Common Merganser male in breeding plumage – Nikon D810, f8, 1\/1250, ISO 250, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

It was very quiet yesterday at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge which I enjoy immensely. I could hear the sounds of sparrows, blackbirds and the crunch of the frozen road under my Jeep’s tires. I saw quite a few Rough-legged Hawks, a few Bald Eagles, lots of ducks in the air, Northern Harriers coursing over the marsh looking for prey, Great Blue Herons flying off before I could get close enough to take photos but the best bird for me yesterday was a merganser.<\/p>\n

There isn’t much open water right now but in a few places where it is open it attracts waterfowl including this bathing Common Merganser male in breeding plumage. I watched and photographed as it splashed in the water and was most pleased with this image of it showing a sheath of water running off of its head, neck and bill. The eye and catch light is visible in the middle of the circular opening on the mergansers face.<\/p>\n

\"SnowSnow covered view of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge – Nikon D300, f11, 1\/640, ISO 400, +1.7 EV, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 18mm, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

I photographed the beautiful landscape at the refuge yesterday by stopping often and getting out of the Jeep. The coldest temp I saw was 11\u00b0F but with the sun shining and no wind it felt much warmer than it looks. I’m not sure what made the tracks in the snow in the foreground but I like seeing them in the image. Soon this view will change, the ice will melt, spring growth will appear and the birds will arrive by the thousands but until that happens I will enjoy the winter wonderland that is Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of\u00a0 my Common Merganser photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There isn’t much open water right now but in a few places where it is open it attracts waterfowl including this bathing Common Merganser male in breeding plumage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":146448,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[124,27,1148,476,26],"tags":[4004,5109,4373,4053,976,4483,4064,4062,4094,4704,4239,3996,4095,373],"class_list":["post-35466","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-common-mergansers","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-bath","tag-bathing","tag-breeding-plumage","tag-common-merganser","tag-drake","tag-ice","tag-male","tag-marsh","tag-mergansers","tag-mergus-merganser","tag-water","tag-wetlands","tag-winter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/common-merganser-male-bathing-mia-mcpherson-1611.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-9e2","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":110339,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/02\/17\/dapper-drake-common-merganser-at-bear-river-mbr\/","url_meta":{"origin":35466,"position":0},"title":"Dapper Drake Common Merganser At Bear River MBR","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 17, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Today I am sharing photos of a dapper drake Common Merganser in his finest breeding plumage that I took four mornings ago at Bear River Migratory Bird 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":"Bathing Common Merganser drake, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/common-merganser-winter-ice-drake-mia-mcpherson-3751.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/common-merganser-winter-ice-drake-mia-mcpherson-3751.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/common-merganser-winter-ice-drake-mia-mcpherson-3751.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/common-merganser-winter-ice-drake-mia-mcpherson-3751.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":110602,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/03\/01\/hen-common-merganser-at-bear-river-mbr\/","url_meta":{"origin":35466,"position":1},"title":"Hen Common Merganser At Bear River MBR","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 1, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Last month I photographed this hen Common Merganser in a small spot of open water next to an ice shelf at Bear River MBR. It was a very cold morning.","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":"Hen Common Merganser flapping her wings next to an ice shelf, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/common-merganser-winter-ice-hen-mia-mcpherson-3163.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/common-merganser-winter-ice-hen-mia-mcpherson-3163.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/common-merganser-winter-ice-hen-mia-mcpherson-3163.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/common-merganser-winter-ice-hen-mia-mcpherson-3163.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":35466,"position":2},"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":6652,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/11\/27\/male-common-merganser-in-nonbreeding-plumage\/","url_meta":{"origin":35466,"position":3},"title":"Male Common Merganser in nonbreeding plumage","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 27, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Last week I saw quite a few Common Mergansers at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge but I wasn't able to get close enough to them to get any quality images but they reminded me of images I had been able to take of Common Mergansers several years ago at Farmington\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Common Merganser drake in nonbreeding plumage Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/common-merganser-mia-mcpherson-7794.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/common-merganser-mia-mcpherson-7794.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/common-merganser-mia-mcpherson-7794.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/common-merganser-mia-mcpherson-7794.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":123760,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/03\/13\/immature-common-merganser-shaking-off\/","url_meta":{"origin":35466,"position":4},"title":"Immature Common Merganser Shaking Off","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 13, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Just a simple photo of an immature Common Merganser today. I took this image of the merganser on the Bear River almost two years ago on a bright, sunny morning.","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":"Immature Common Merganser shaking off water 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\/2025\/05\/common-merganser-flapping-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-1609.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/common-merganser-flapping-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-1609.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/common-merganser-flapping-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-1609.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/common-merganser-flapping-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-1609.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":99489,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/01\/31\/first-winter-common-merganser-on-the-bear-river\/","url_meta":{"origin":35466,"position":5},"title":"First Winter Common Merganser On The Bear River","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 31, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"On my last two trips up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge I've stopped long enough to photograph a first winter Common Merganser on the Bear River.","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":"First winter Common Merganser floating by, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/common-merganser-first-winter-male-mia-mcpherson-4749.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/common-merganser-first-winter-male-mia-mcpherson-4749.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/common-merganser-first-winter-male-mia-mcpherson-4749.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/common-merganser-first-winter-male-mia-mcpherson-4749.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\/35466","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=35466"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35466\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/146448"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35466"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35466"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35466"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}