Theler and Port Orchard

One among many reasons I haven’t posted very often recently is that birding hasn’t been particularly inspiring, at least birding at Theler Wetlands, my go-to location when it’s a nice day (i.e., a day without rain or snow).  

On one of these trips, I only managed to get five shots, all of a single female Merganser.  I decided to assemble them all into a single montage.

Birding was better at Port Orchard, but even there a single sequence was the highlight of the day.  I probably should have shot a video of it, but I really don’t like to shoot videos without a tripod and I hate carrying a tripod even more than I hate videos taken without a tripod.  

As soon as we entered the Marina we were greeted by this Male Hooded Merganser coming directly at us.

He even seemed to acknowledge our presence with a slight nod.

before turning

to the left and striking a definite mating pose that I’ve often observed when there is a female surrounded by competing males.

His real intent became clearer when he started swimming towards a nearby female

that seemed totally unimpressed by his attempts and was, in fact, rushing away to ensure that the male wouldn’t steal her catch.

When she had swallowed the whole fish, she raised up in the water with drool running down her beak, and the male just swam by. 

I just wish I knew what that gesture meant.  Whatever it meant, the male simply swam past her with nary a sidelong glance.