Female (Hen) Hooded Merganser in Flight

Some birds make you work a little harder than others, and the female Hooded Merganser is definitely one of them. She may not have the flashy crest and bold pattern of the drake, but what she lacks in showiness, she absolutely makes up for in attitude, speed, and unpredictability. And honestly… that’s exactly why I love photographing them.

This image was made during my Better Than Bosque Workshop at the beginning of December, and the morning could not have started any better. The light was gorgeous—rich, warm, and soft—the kind of light that makes you smile before you even press the shutter. The pond was calm, everything was peaceful… and then, as mergansers like to do, she decided she’d had enough of being calm and peaceful. No warning. No gentle build-up. Just: Boom—she’s airborne!

Trying to stay with a Hooded Merganser in flight is always a bit of an adventure. They don’t fly like mallards, and they don’t give you that big lazy arc of a goose. They’re small, fast, twitchy, and seem to enjoy changing direction just as you think you’ve got things lined up. It feels like you’re constantly a half-second behind, willing everything to stay together long enough for autofocus to hang on while you pan and pray the bird doesn’t suddenly dive out of the frame.

This was photographed with the Sony A9 Mark III, 600mm f/4 with the 2X (so 1,200mm), at 1/5,000s, f/8, ISO 2000. That fast shutter was key—there’s a lot of energy in those wings—and the light did the rest. When you get a morning like this, you just try not to mess it up.

What I love most about this frame isn’t just the detail—it’s the feeling. The tension in the wings. The slightly frantic, slightly determined posture. The warm glow wrapping her in that early morning color. It’s a split second of controlled chaos, and that’s exactly what photographing mergansers feels like in real life.

These are the kinds of moments that keep me excited about being out there. You never know when the shot is going to happen. You just try to be ready, pay attention, and enjoy the wild ride when it does.

Wood duck in flight

One of my favourite Wood Duck images from last December’s Best of Bosque workshop. A drake (male) Wood Duck flew directly towards us with the amazing colour of the Sunset reflecting off the cottonwood trees.

Learn more about the Best of Bosque Workshop HERE.

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Learn more about the Best of Bosque Workshop HERE. 〰️

Sandhill Crane Predawn Call

Here is another Sandhill Crane from my Better than Bosque workshop last December 7. It was dark, the air was cold, but still and we listened to the chorus of Sandhill Cranes waking for a good long while before they started to fly out. The dark overcast conditions were perfect for low contrast out-of-focus backgrounds. The key when working at high ISOs like 16,000 is to expose the image perfectly and try your best to capture full-frame images that don’t require cropping (or much cropping).

Join me in New Mexico from Dec. 5-9 for my Best of Bosque Workshop Adventure.

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CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE OR SIGN-UP

Join me in New Mexico from Dec. 5-9 for my Best of Bosque Workshop Adventure. ☞ CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE OR SIGN-UP

Bosque del Apache Coyote

A different Coyote from Last year’s Best of Bosque Workshop last December. I must admit to being frustrated that the Coyotes never made direct eye contact while I was photographing them - I rather like the less intrusive view - smile.

There are still two spots to fill after a relatively last-minute health cancellation. To learn more and sign-up for my Dec. 5-9, 2022 Best of Bosque Workshop CLICK HERE.

Redhead

Earlier today, I posted a Canvasback with a brief word about how to tell the difference between the two species. Have a look here: https://www.naturephotographyblog.com/blog/canvasback